1984 Delhi Sikh Genocide - Affidavits

Affidavit submitted before the Nanavati Commission

I, Joginder Kaur W/o Late S. Amrik Singh aged 35 yrs. R/o RZ-58, Kailash Puri, Palam Colony, Delhi, do hereby solemnly affirm and declare as under:-

1. That my husband S. Amrik Singh came to house at about 2:30 A.M. on Nov.1st, 1984, and told me that the Police had taken him to Police Station, Sadar, Delhi Cantt. The Police damaged his three wheeler scooter and beat him with lathis. The police beated him in a police jeep and said that they will loot the Sikhs. They gave him a gun and asked him to shoot and kill Sikhs. But at that time somebody said that it will be a mistake to give gun to a Sardar. There upon they snatched the gun from him and ordered him to go away from their sight.

2. That we used to give this three wheeler scooter to the driver but on that day my husband himself drove it. My husband is a driver foreman in Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking. On 1st, about 6 A.M. when I climbed the roof I heard lot of noise. All the neighbours had climbed on their roof top. I, immediately came down and woke up Sardarji (my husband) and my children. My neighbour Srivastava assured us that there is nothing to worry and that we can come to their house. Myself, my husband and my three sons came to Srivastava's house at RZ-58.

3. That our house was looted after 8 A.M. and it was set on fire after looting. The persons who set the house on fire included one Vijay Khan, Puran and his accomplices who set on fire our scooter and other household effects. The same mob came again at about 6 P.M. in the evening. They wanted to search Srivastava's house. Thereupon Srivastava asked all of us to hide in the house of Mr.Gopal resident of RZ-54.

4. That from the evening of Nov.1st ,1984, till Nov.2nd, 1984, (upto 6 PM) we remained at the house of Mr.Gopal aforesaid. My husband to save the life of my children, and at the insistence of Mr. Gopal cut his hair. After this, Mr. Gopal forcibly led us out of his house. Mr. Gopal was well aware that there was no way for us outside and there was great danger. However, hiding ourselves, all the family members sought refuge in a house nearby which was under construction. But there was no doors in this house and the mob also arrived at that time.

We tried to save ourselves. My husband Amrik Singh and my elder son Gurnam Singh got separated from us. I, alongwith the two younger sons, came out of the street. Even though one or two persons tried to catch us but eventually I succeeded to come out along with two sons.

5. That when we were crossing through the Indra Park, some people came to kill us but on my folded hand requests we were spared. One or two persons told us that if we want to save our lives we should reach Gurdwara after crossing the line near the culvert.

6. That when after crossing the line we were approaching near the Gurdwara, we met a Policeman. I begged him for help. He said, “Do not talk with us. We will shoot you.” I again begged him but he gave the same reply. We spent that night by hiding ourselves in the bushes.

7. That on 3rd Nov.`84, when we were hiding in the bushes that the mob came towards that side. They had torches and lights with them. They spotted us in the bushes and caught hold of us. I told them that we were Hindus but they saw the turban marks on the foreheads of my sons. They said, “you are Sardars. You have got your hair cut just now.” The mob started beating both my sons. At this I said in Hindi, “We are Hindus. Do not beat us.”

There upon one person out of the mob came out and said, “Listen to them carefully. Do not say them anything.” He asked the other men to take us to the Mandir and keep us there. When we were being taken to the Mandir some people tried to hit my son with sword and iron rods but I came forward and thus rescued my sons. The sword hit on my leg which started bleedings profusely. In the Mandir to save us, the Pujari sent us inside the Mandir and locked the gate from outside.

The Pujari asked us to sit there and that he will send us to Gurdwara when the curfew is lifted. This was the Shivmandir of Sagarpur. Outside the Mandir the mob was shouting at Pujari and threatened to break open the lock. They also tried to break open the lock. This continued for a long time and in the meantime many more persons joined the mob. Then somebody shouted that the Mandir be set on fire if the Pujari did not open the lock. When they poured kerosene oil from the grill of the Mandir and tried to set it on fire, I dashed my forehead at the feet of Devi and prayed her to appear and save us.

My sons started weeping loudly along with me. At that time one person who had wrapped a blanked around himself came forward and asked the mob not to set the Mandir on fire. That man asked me, “Sister, where have you to go?” I told him that we had to go to Maharani Bagh. He said that he is also from that side and he would save us. When I asked him as to how he single handed can save us from so many men he said that, as already said, he will save us. But I did not believe him. He told me that he has the key of the back door and when he would give a signal we should escape from the back door.

When I hesitated, he said that he is Police Inspector and also a revolver with him. He removed his blanket and showed me the revolver. He was wearing a police uniform. He showed me his identity card also and upon this I believed him. Then he made an announcement at the loud speaker of the Mandir, “Extremists have arrived towards the Railway line. Run for your lives.” Many from the mob ran towards the lines and he made us come out from the back gate. He called 5 – 6 more persons and instructed them that we have to be saved. Hardly had he taken us for some distance that the mob returned and surrounded us. Some people in the mob enquired the Police Inspector that why he was taking the two Sardar children and thereby putting them to a loss of Rs.500/- each.

The mob told the Inspector that they would not allow the Sardar children to go. At this the Inspector drew out his revolver and one more man drew out his revolver and threatened the mob to shoot anybody who will come forward. The mob retreated and they took us out from that place. In the way, other persons accompanying the Inspector, also removed their blanket. Two of them were in police uniform. One of them was a Police Inspector. In the way they told us that they do not know how they got pity on us otherwise they were apprehending and killing Sardars. They accompanied us up to and left us at Gurdwara Sadar Cantt.

8. That on reaching the Relief Camp at Gurdwara, on 5th Nov.`85, I came to know that my husband and my eldest son who had hid themselves in the house of Chakkiwala were dragged out from his house and killed and burnt.

9. That on 5th Nov.`85, we were brought to Gurdwara Bala Sahib.

10. That our house has been totally burnt to ashes and all the household effects have been either burnt or looted. I have suffered a loss of about Three Lakhs of rupees.

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