1984 Delhi Sikh Genocide - Affidavits

Affidavit submitted before the Misra Commission

I, Shammi Bai W/o Inder Singh, aged 35 yrs., R/o 53, Block 32, Trilokpuri, Delhi, at present residing C-87 A, Tilak Vihar, New Delhi, do hereby solemnly affirm and state as under: -

1. That the people residing with me on the 31st October,1984, are as follows:-

a. Husband, Inder Singh (40 yrs.). He was a Charpai weaver, killed during the riots.

b. Son Manohar Singh (18 yrs.) worked at making scooter parts in a factory at Patpar Ganj.

c. Daughter Pappi Kaur (15 yrs.) stayed at home and looked after the house.

d. Daughter – Meena Kaur (13 yrs.) studied in standard 4, in the 32 Block school.

e. Son Dalip Singh (10 yrs.) studied in standard 3 in the 32 Block school.

f. Son, Hargon Singh (8 yrs.) studied in standard 2, in the 32 Block school.

g. Daughter Rajni Kaur (6 yrs.) studied in standard 1, 32 Block school.

h. Daughter Harbans Kaur (4 yrs.) Nursery in 32 Block school.

i. Son Manjit Singh (4 months).

I, myself sewed clothes in my house.

2. On the 1st November 1984, at about 10 A.M., Block 36 Gurdwara was set on fire. I could see from house the smoke coming out from it.

3. Block 18 kerosene depot was open right through the day.

4. The police were standing on the main road and also a few more were standing at the chowk of Block 30. When I approached them to help save the Gurdwara 32 Block, they answered "Hamare Bas Ke Baat Nahin Hai". They told us to go back to our houses as curfew had been imposed. They also told us that no one would be killed, only the Gurdwara 32 Block would be burnt. When we went back to our houses, the police came around to collect our swords.

5. A number of my relatives collected in my house along with my family, they were three brother-in-law

a. Bhajan Lal 25 yrs. he had a Halwai and tea shop on the main road of Block 32. His wife and two children were also there.

b. Bachu Singh 22 yrs. – Scooter driver Three Wheeler, he had his wife and one son.

c. Puran Singh 30 yrs. – Nizamuddin Station Coolie. He also had his wife and four children with him.

d. Lachu Singh 28 yrs. New Delhi Rly. Station Coolie who had his wife and four children with him.

My three brother-in-law and brother are living in the same gali.

6. In the early evening the mob came to our house. They started burning the house, then in desperation I opened the door to my house. Then Rohtas, a Chilla Village inhabitant, whom I an identify and can identify his house, dragged my husband out and hit with sariyas on the head. The head burst open and all the brain came out. Of the mob that came I can identify (a) Rampal Saroj, (b) Kishori, (c) Kishori's brother, (d) another brother's Kamal / Kishori, (e) Bedi ( a hand pump maker), (f) Bedi's brother Parkash, (g) 32 Block Cholyewala, (h) Chand a Muslim,(i) Chand's son Nisar, (17 yrs. old Lloafer).

7. Before killing my husband, Rohtas demaded Rs.4,000/- to leave him and my son alive. As soon as I gave him the money he killed my husband as mentioned earlier and then he along with the people whose names I have mentioned, killed my son Manohar Singh with sariyas.

8. I went to Rampal Saroj, our Pradhan and a Congress (I) worker to save my family, he answered "Main Kisi Ka Pradhan Nahin Hoon" and joined in shouting slogans with the rest of the mob "Sardaro Ko Maro."

9. Later, in the evening the mob returned and threatened to kill all the remaining members of my family. Luckily for us, the saw another Sardar down the road and started pursuing him. As soon as they left I cut the hair of the men folk in my house and as night approached we went to the park, where a number of persons mainly females were sitting. A few hours later near midnight the mob returned and started picking out all the young and pretty girls from the families sitting in the park. I got scared for my daughters' honour and we fled from there and went on to the main road near the Masjid.

10. At night around 2 A.M., when we were sitting on the main road a few people (a) Bedi, (b) Kamal, (c) Om Prakash and (d) Kishori came there and told us to get out and never came back to Trilokpuri or else they will kill us. We immediately fled from there and made our way to Chilla Village. The inhabitants chased us away from there we wandered around nearby. Suddenly Rohtas and a number of mob came there. They pulled out my brother Lachu Singh and hit him with sariyas and then threw him into the dirty water nallah.

11. A few hours later we met Hans a friend of Chilla Village to who I sell milk. He took us into his house and kept us there right through the 2nd November 1984.

12. On the 3rd of November, 1984 a military vehicle passed by which rescued us and took us to Farash Bazar camp. In December I went back to Chilla Village to collect some money for the milk I had sold. There I met Rohtas who said "Saali, Tera Sardar or Larka Mar Diya – Phir Aati Ho Tum."

13. On the 1st November, two Congress (I) workers (a). Karak Singh of Block 33 and (b). Duli Chand of Block 3 told us "Sardaro Aaj Kuchh-n-Kuchh Hoga" Narai a member of the mob said "Sardaro Ka Nam-o-Nishan Mita Do, Saap Ke Bache Hain Sab Ko Khatam Kar Do."

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