1984 Delhi Sikh Genocide - Affidavits

Affidavit submitted before the Misra Commission

I, Lakhbir Singh aged 15 years s/o Gurdeep Singh, resident of A-127, Jagatpuri Mandoli Road, Shahdara, presently resident of C-38A, Tilak Vihar, New Delhi, do hereby solemnly state and affirm as follows: -

1. On 31.10.84 when we heard the news of Prime Minister's death, we were greatly pained.

2. On 1.11.84 at about 9/10 am, we heard a big noise and we came to know from someone that our Gurudwara has been set on fire. All of us went on to our roof to see the Gurudwara. We saw a mob of about 500 to 600 destroying and burning the Gurudwara. Thereafter, the mob came straight to our house. They were carrying iron rods, sticks, stones, kerosene oil etc.

Immediately on reaching, they started throwing stones at our house. At that time all told there were 15 to 20 persons in our house. Stones thrown at us by the mob were collected by us and were thrown back by us for self-defence. In the afternoon, when the stone throwing became more intense, we came down from the roof of the house. The mob surrounded our house from all sides.

Few amongst the mob climbed to our roof. They started to throw lighted pieces of cloth on us and the others forcibly entered our house. Both my elder brothers were clean-shaved, but Bhardwaj, a resident of our colony told the mob that both the said brothers were Sardars.

I saw that one person from the mob hit Jasbir Singh with a iron rod. The rod hit him in the eye and he fell down. As he fell, they poured kerosene oil and lit the fire. This entire incident I have seen with my own eyes. Kulwinder Singh was bodily lifted by the members of the mob and taken to the chowk where he was put to death.

3. At this juncture a lady who used to sell firewood came our house to take me away but the members of the mob shouted that, "where are you taking him," she replied that I was her son, this is how she took me away to her house at C-129. I saw that my sister, Sukhvinder Kaur was hit by one Latifa, who thereafter snatched her golden ornaments the mob killed her.

The incident I saw when I was being taken away by the said lady to her house. Thereafter, the murderers killed all the inmates of the house, looted the house and set it on fire. I went to roof top of her house and began to watch the murderers. I saw that in front of the house a train had halted. There is neither a Railway Station nor do the trains stop there.

The rail tracks are clearly visible from the said house of hers. All the compartments of the train were packed with the rioters mob. the rioters in the train asked from the rioters standing below by shouting that "do you require our help." The rioters standing below said, "Yes, you come down." About 300 to 400 rioters / persons alighted from the train and joined the mob of rioters standing below. I recognize some persons of the mob, they are: -

Ramparkash Tiwari, Ratan Choudhry, Bhardwaj, Latif Ali, Suraj Giri, Kallu, Narindra. These persons were leading the mob.

4. At night the said lady asked me to go from her house as there was no danger. At night around 10 – 11, I went to Ramgarh where my relatives reside. I stayed in their house on 2.11.84.

5. On 3.11.84 the military took us to Shyam Lal College Camp. There I came to know that I and my nephew aged 9 months were the only survivors of the family. The nephew was rescued by our neighbour and restored to me after 13 days. In this episode the loss incurred is to the tune of Rs. 2 – 3 lakhs. The following persons of my house were killed during the riots: -

1. Gurdeep Singh, my father; 2. Harbans Kaur, my mother; 3. Sukhwinder Kaur, my sister; 4. Kulvinder Singh-brother; 5. Jasvir Singh-brother; 6. Bhajan Kaur-tenant; 7. Ujagar Singh-tenant; 8. Sudagar Singh-tenant; 9. Balbir Singh-tenant; 10. Grand-mother of Balbir Singh.

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