1984 Delhi Sikh Genocide - Statements

Statement submitted before the Nanavati Commission

Witness No. 136

Name : Ms Jagdish Kaur

Age :

Occupation : House Wife

Address : 4, Darshan Avenue, Danga Peedit Colony, GT Road Bye Pass, Amritsar.

On SA

I had earlier filed an affidavit before Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission of Inquiry. It is shown to me. It bears my signature. I had also filed one affidavit before this Commission. I am shown that affidavit. It also bears my signature. In affidavit filed before Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission of Inquiry it is incorrectly stated that 'we heard the news that at the Station military was burning alive Sikhs…….' Really what I wanted to say was that at the station Sikhs who were serving in military and travelling by train were pulled down and burnt alive.

On 2nd November, 1984 I had first gone to the military parade ground and requested an officer Major Yadav, MES to help me as my house was attacked by the mob and my husband and son were killed and the dead bodies were lying in the house. He took me to Major Bhatia of MES. I had narrated to him my difficulties but he also pleaded helplessness by saying that he had no orders and therefore it is not possible for me to go to my house. He took me to EM 505 workshop.

The officer whom we wanted to meet was sitting in a meeting therefore I waited for an hour. Thereafter I was told that he had gone away through another door and was, therefore, not available. I had gone to E.M.505 Workshop as my husband was working in that workshop.

As the military officers did not help me inspite of the efforts of Major Bhatia, he brought me back to parade ground. He told me that many Sikhs were killed near my house and therefore it was not possible for him to take me there. Then after obtaining permission from the Colonel, Major Yadav took me in a vehicle to the police station. He was reluctant to take me to my house as the situation near my house was dangerous.

I waited in the police station for about an hour but nobody was listening to me. Even though Major Yadav had requested the policeman

Age : to take down my complaint that officer had told me that my complaint would be taken when the SHO comes. But nothing happened there for about an hour. I had heard persons in the mob which had come there that some Sardars in Raj Nagar-II were opposing, thereupon the police had told them to go ahead and attack them and police will be following them.

On hearing this conversation mob had gone away and on the way mob had seen me and wanted to attack me but one young boy who was the friend of my son saved me. I thereafter went to my house. As I saw that my house was burning I could not go inside my house and I had to go to the house of Om Prakash who was working with my husband. He was also reluctant to keep me in his house as in the meeting held earlier in the morning Sajjan Kumar had declared that who-ever kept Sikh in his house, his house will also be burnt.

Even then he gave me shelter by making me sit in one corner of his shop which was nearby. I had spent the night there and then next day in the morning i.e. on 3rd November, 1984 I again went to my house. I saw that the mob was looting our house and had taken out the dead bodies of my husband and son. I then collected partly burnt chairs etc., and with such material cremated my husband and son at that place.

I had again gone to Om Prakash's house and from there I had gone to Palam Nagar Police Station where I gave my complaint [Learned Counsel from Delhi Police S.S. Gandhi stated that as a general complaint was already recorded by Palam Nagar Police station as FIR No.416, her complaint was made a part of it.] I had disclosed to the police all that had happened. Thereafter I was taken in the Air Force Van to the Gurdwara where I had stayed that night.

On the next day i.e. on 4th November, 1984 I had gone with my children to Air Force Gurdwara. Inspite of my request police had not helped me. I was only given a small writing showing that the police was investigating the deaths of my husband and son along with other incidents for which FIR No. 416 was already recorded. They had told me that it will be useful for the purpose of pension.

Cross examination by S.S. Gandhi, Senior Advocate on behalf of Delhi Police

The house of Om Prakash is nearby my house. I had not told the police that Om Prakash knew the persons who were in the mob and who have attacked my house. I did not say anything to the police whether Om Prakash knew them because I did not know whether Om Prakash knew them or not. I had shifted to Amritsar on 12th December, 1984. I had not given my Amritsar address to the police. I had given the same to the Relief Commissioner.

I had gone earlier to Guru Nanak Wara Khalsa College, Amritsar and then shifted to the present address as those premises were rented premises. I had stayed at the address given in my affidavit filed before Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission for about six to seven months after I had filed the affidavit. I had informed my landlord and the neighbours of my new address. Mrs Har Bhajan Kaur was the wife of Narendra Singh and Mrs Daljit Kaur was the wife of Raghvinder Singh. Both of them were my brothers.

Both my brothers were killed. Therefore, their widows shifted to Punjab. Both those widows had not remarried. [Mr Gandhi, Learned Counsel for Delhi Police states that even though four charge sheets were filed on the basis of the FIR, no charge sheet was submitted to the Court in respect of deaths of witness's husband, son and three brothers as during the investigation the police could not trace any witness and ultimately investigation with respect to those deaths was treated as closed].

When I had gone to the police station on 2nd November,1 1984 there were only two or three policemen. The person who was sitting in the chair was the Head Constable. I had told him to record my complaint but he had stated that it could be done only by SHO.

The SHO while moving in the vehicle was announcing through Loudspeaker that curfew had been imposed in the area and on that basis we were not allowed to come out of our house but when the mob had come to attack our houses, he had allowed the mob to attack Sikhs and had also inquired from the mob as to how many 'MURGAS' (Sikhs) were killed. But in my presence police had not fired at the persons seeking help but I had heard the sound of fire from firearms.

Cross examination by Ashok Kashyap, Advocate on behalf of Central Government

In reply to the question put by Mr Ashok Kashyap I clarify that Army was not involved in killing Sikhs. But they had not helped, that is what I wanted to convey. In paragraph 8 of my affidavit, it is incorrectly stated that army was also involved in mass killing.

Cross examination by S.S. Gandhi, Senior Advocate on behalf of Delhi Police

As regards the role of police I had not seen any policemen killing anyone seeking help. I have stated so on the basis of in-action by the police and also as I have seen the police instigating mob as stated by me earlier.

Read over and found correct.

(Ms Jagdish Kaur) (G.T. Nanavati)

08th January, 2002

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