1984 Delhi Sikh Genocide - Affidavits

Affidavit submitted before the Misra Commission

I, Avtar Singh, aged about 60 years son of S. Inder Singh, resident of c/o Dhanjit Singh, F-13, Karampura, New Delhi-15, do hereby on solemn affirmation state and declare as under: -

1. That I constructed a new house at Plot No.10, Block-S, Mohan Garden Extn. P.S. Janakpuri, New Delhi and shifted to this new house on 22-10-84 with my family.

2. That on 1-11-84, at about 6 – 7 am I could see smoke coming out almost all around from the burning of properties. At about 10 am a few Punjabi Hindus whose names and addresses are not known to me, informed us that Sikhs are attacked by Non-Sikhs and properties of Sikhs are being looted by Non-Sikhs and their houses and shops are being burnt.

3. That I and my family members, therefore, kept inside the house throughout the day. At about 8 – 9 pm on 1-11-84, one Sikh family consisting 7 members and one guest, who were residing in their own house in Mohan Garden, near Najafgarh Road, New Delhi, came to my house for shelter. Their house was looted and burnt at about 6 pm. They informed us that the Sikhs are being burnt alive by Non-Sikhs. I know their house and can identify the members of that Sikh family but I do not remember their names.

4. Next day on 2-11-84, at about 11 am about 100 Non-Sikhs attacked our house, looted the property and then burnt the house. They gave various hart by breaking bone towards the back of my right shoulder by lathis blows given by them.

I and my son Darshan Singh and the entire family which came for shelter at night was forcibly taken by these Non-Sikhs towards Mohan Garden Road and they were saying that we were to be burnt alive at Gulab Bagh area. They were having kerosene oil with them. They also removed kerosene oil from our house as well.

5. That when our house was attacked my wife had gone to a tube-well situated at about 500 yards away from my residence to see my son Kuldeep Singh hiding there.

6. That when she came back, she saw from a distance that we all were being taken by those persons by beating us and house properties were being removed by them from the house and thereafter the house was set on fire.

7. That when we were brought at Najafgarh Road, one jeep with Jagmal Singh ACP was coming on the road. I took courage and stood in the middle of the road with folded hands asking the police for protection of life. As I stood in between the road, the police jeep had to stop. Then we narrated the facts to ACP who then took us to Uttam Nagar Police Post.

8. That I was treated by Deen Dayal Upadhya Hospital, Hari Nagar, Delhi for the injuries received by me. I can identify the culprits but I do not know their names and addresses. No report in terms of the above facts was recorded by the police because they stated that they have no time to do so in view of the large scale violence by Non-Sikhs, particularly instigated by Congress (I) leaders. I was also told by the police that general FIR No.526/84, P.S. Janakpuri was registered and that will cover my case also.

9. I say that a list of properties looted from my house is given in annexure 'A' enclosed.

10. I say that no police investigation has been taken place worth the name to find out the culprits.

11. I myself has seen more than 50 dead bodies lying charred here and there, which were burnt alive by Non-Sikhs.

12. I am now sent false reply dated 11-6-85 by DCP Vigilance, New Delhi falsely stating that my property was burnt. It is most shameful that DCP could not appreciated that at least the metallic items like cycle, sewing machine, utensils etc. etc should have been found burnt on the spot.

If his statement is taken to be correct, it is a matter of common knowledge that metallic items could not be burnt to ashes in such instances. The reply of DCP is, therefore, absolutely false even to his knowledge.

13. I say that such instances could be prevented in future only if stringent action is taken against the defaulting police officers and prosecution are launched against those who committed heinous crime of murder, looting and burning of properties etc. etc.

In Bomb blast case in Delhi. In which 42 persons were killed in Delhi and the police arrested more than 100 persons from Sikh community to find out the culprits, but in November riots more than 20,000 Sikhs were burnt alive in Delhi only and no such investigation took place at all. The crimes in November riots were generally committed in the presence of police itself who was totally inactive.

I further state that Government should also compensate me 100% for the loss of my property worth of Rs.1,83,000/- cause due to culpable negligence of Government machinery and I should also be paid compensation for sufferings, harassment, mental and physical pain worth about Rs.1,00,000/-.

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