1984 Delhi Sikh Genocide - Affidavits

Affidavit submitted before the Misra Commission

I, Gurnam Kaur wife of S. Angad Singh aged 36 years resident of 55, School Block, Shakurpur, New Delhi do hereby solemnly state on oath as under: -

My husband is a clerk in a school run by Delhi Administration. On Oct.31, 1984, we came back from the school at 3.30 PM.

On Nov.1, 1984 we remained indoor. We did not go out because the Gurdwara had been burnt at 8 AM and the houses belonging to Sikhs were set ablaze. We also heard that the Sardars were being killed. At about 4 PM, our neighbour Jatinder came home after closing his shop at Karol Bagh and asked about us from his wife Vijay. told him that we were inside our house.

Jatinder asked Vijay to fetch us to his house. We five persons that is myself, my two sons Gurinder Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Narinder Kaur and my husband accompanied to his house. We had our meals there and remained there for the night.

On Nov.2 1984 when Vijay brought milk, one Chakeroo (milk man) said that tea be served to Sardars. I conveyed the same to my husband and Jatinder who was sitting nearby but he told us not to worry and that we should go and sit downstairs. Sheela (Tandoor Wali) came and told us that some people were saying in the night that Sardars will be finished in the morning. I passed on this message also to our men who had hid themselves at the second floor. Jatinder assured us not to worry.

Then I told Jatinder that if the neighbours were getting Sardars killed what shall we do. Then Jatinder came downstairs and went to the Chakkiwala (flour mill owner). Then chakki wala came to give us solace and shook hands with our men. He blessed us and said that he will defend us. He further said that he will get killed himself first instead to his assurance we came to our house. Narinder Kaur also came with us. Men and three children remained in the house of Jatinder.

At about 9 – 9.30 AM, Madan's son who is called as Kaala came and told that his father is calling us and we should go to their house. Then his daughter come. also asked us that we should go to their house. said that her father was calling us. I came to Madan's house alongwith my daughter Narinder Kaur. Madan said, "Sister, have seat, do not worry."

At about 10 AM a big mob of men came. Madan and his sons took with them iron rods and axes and went along with the mob. Madan and his sons had taken out these axes from his balcony, fixed handles and sharpened the axes on stone just in front of my eyes. But I did not intervene on the assumption that they were going to save our men.

Madan came after about 15 – 20 minutes. His shirt was blood stained and he had a big iron pipe in his hand. Milkman Chakheroo also followed him who said that the red turbaned Sikh, one old man and one twelfth class boy have been killed. One Saran Verma (Doctor) also joined them. Saran abused and said that no Sardar be spared. He further said that one Sardar killed ten persons even before he dies. I told Madan that it was my husband who wore red turban. Then Madan said that he was somebody from Gurdwara and asked me not to worry but to take rest. He asked his daughter Rani to serve me tea. Though I was worried but somehow I took tea.

In the meantime Ram Raj B.D. Saini came to Madan's house and said that the very Sardar they wanted to kill has not been killed so far. Madan remained sitting so that I remain pacified there but Ram Raj B.D. Saini, Madan's son and Chakheroo Milk man went towards our house. My elder brother-in-law S. Giyan Singh had also hid himself in the store of Vijay. They dragged him out of store, beat him on the roof and threw him down. Out of the mob I saw Kaloo Barber, Sham Singh Tyagi Congress Leader of our area, Madan's son, B.D. Saini, Ram Raj, Milkman Chakheroo, Rajinder waste paper seller, three servants of Rajinder, Bhoop Singh and Tilak coming down the stairs. Then they lifted the dead body and threw it on the burning bodies of my husband and that of the son of our tenant who was mistaken to be my son.

After this they looted and plundered the house of my brother-in-law because there were many imported goods in his house. My brother-in-law had served in Libya for four years and had gone to England also, he had brought many imported goods from there. Then the mob came to Madan's house. Then Doctor Verma asked as to why I was sitting there and that I should be turned out. When I went towards his gate and saw my house and men burning I told Madan that my house and men were burning outside. Upon this Madan get enraged and told me that I should myself take care of my own interest.

When the fire brigade came the mob scattered. I went to the Chakki wala and asked him that he had guaranteed for the safety of our men and where they were now. Then Chakki wala brought myself and my sister-in-law outside and pointing towards men burning in street said, "Your men are there." They were burning in the street. I saw blood stained iron road in the hand of Chakki wala's son Raj. On seeing me he threw the rod towards a guava plant.

Sham Singh got the dead bodies removed in his truck. Then we went to Jatinder's house. That poor fellow was scared and lying on a cot. Hand folded he said that uncle ji (my husband) is no more but my four children were OK. He requested us to go away from there. We returned to our house. Then Jatinder gave scissors to the children in the toilet. The children got their hair cut because those people had told Jatinder that they would came at 8 PM to search his house because my children were there. So when was sitting helplessly in front of my burning house he conveyed to me by gesture that he had time upto 8 PM only. He made the children leave his house at 8 PM. We hid them in a neighbour house.

On Nov.3, our old neighbour who reside in S-123 came and took out three boys in their house. Then the military vehicle came and took us to the Kamla Market Police Station. On 6th we came to Gita Colony Police Station. On 12th we returned to our burnt house.

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