POLICE STATION:  KALYAN PURI

SHO:  SHRI SHOORVIR SINGH TYAGI
ACP:   SHRI R.D. MALHOTRA,

Police station Kalyanpuri is located in the south of the District and borders Ghaziabad District of Uttar Pradesh.  This Police Station had an outpost at Trilokpuri (which has subsequently been upgraded into a Police Station0.  At the outpost of Patparganj (Trilokpuri), Sub Inspector Vinod Kumar was In charge.  The area consists mainly of resettlement colonies and is inhabited by the poorer section of society.

DEATHS

The total number of killings, according to the records of Police Station Kalyanpuri, is 154.  The facts as have been revealed would indicate the deaths in this Police station area to be the highest in the whole of Delhi and there is evidence of large number of dead-bodies having been disposed off.  Hence a large number of people killed could not have come on any record at all.  A figure of 600 deaths in this Police Station would be nearer the mark.

EVENTS

Even though some trouble did occur in this Police Station ‘s jurisdiction on 31^st October 1984 the main incidents of looting arson and killing occurred from the morning of 1st November 1984.  The killings in Trilokpuri particularly in Block No.32 & 36 and nearby overshadowed all other events, not only of the Police Station but also of the District.  A very large number of killings had also taken place in Kalyanpuri and Vinod Nagar but there had been mass killings in Block No.32 & 36 of Trilokpuri and almost the entire male population had been wiped out.

In the initial stages on 1st November, 1984 when the first attack was made on Patparganj Gurudwara it would appear from the FIR registered (422) that In charge, Police Post Patparganj, which covered Trilokpuri, Sub Inspector Vinod Kumar took action and tried to control the situation.  He even registered a case.   However, subsequent events would show that the SHO Inspector Shoorvir Singh Tyagi took control and the Sub Inspector In charge of the outpost became totally ineffective.  There is absolutely no reference to the role of Sub Inspector Vinod Kumar in any affidavit or other Police records, ---------- the FIR referred to above.

It would be difficult to fully rely on the records of the Police of this Police Station.  The SHO himself as well as practically the entire Police staff, was involved almost directly in the massacre/killings.  In a situation like this, the Police Station records are not likely to reflect the full truth.  The various affidavits discussed above show that the Police was almost directly involved in the attacks on Sikhs and in many cases was apart of the mob as per Smt. Vidya Kaur (2574).  The events in Trilokpuri described by the deponents show how the Sikhs were almost forced to go into their houses so that they would not be in a position to collectively resist the mob.  The affidavits of Shri Laxman Singh (2286), Gurbachan Singh (2465), Ram Singh (2613), Santa Singh (2615), and Kabul Singh (2634) all of block No.11 & 12 Kalyanpuri indicate how the weapons of the Sikhs were systematically taken away almost forcibly, thus ensuring that the Sikhs would no longer be in a position to defend themselves.  In Vinod Nagar, a large number of people had come in trucks from outside and the affidavits of Shri Anup Singh (2809) and Shri Harbans Singh (2815) show that the role of the Police was dubious and so a large number of people were killed.  The presence of the Police at the time of attacks on Sikhs has been narrated by almost all the deponents.  In Trilokpuri in particular Smt. Gurdeep Kaur (2297) and Shri Mohan Singh (2318) have given details of the same.

From the above it is evident that when the mobs collected in morning of 1st November, 1984 they were not able to start arson and killings on their own because of the resistance from the Sikhs.  The Police effectively intervened and at Kalyanpuri, Shri Tyagi, SHO himself along with his Police staff collected the licensed weapons of the Sikhs and disarmed them.  In Trilokpuri they asked the Sikhs to go inside their houses so that they could be individually and separately dealt with by the mob.  In Vinod Nagar a large number of people appear to have come from outside.  The information regarding these killings had been suppressed at all levels and is evident from the affidavits of the Press Reporters.  They were even told on 2^nd November 1984 that all was well in Trilokpuri.  In addition to this, when a Police Control Room Van was sent on instructions from police Head Quarters it was told by the SHO that only three persons were injured who may be taken to the hospital.  To cover up the carnage, attempts were made to dispose of the dead-bodies as has come out in some of the affidavits discussed above.

Surprisingly   enough, even the senior Police Officer had taken no steps to save the situation and instead pleaded ignorance about all that was going on in Trilokpuri and Kalyanpuri.  This plea of total ignorance about these events is not acceptable as the following messages had been sent on wireless in regard to Kalyanpuri and Trilokpuri on 1st November 1984 itself.  

1. 1435 Hours – Gurudwara and Shops in Block No. 32 & 36, set on fire.

2. 1510 Hours - Brick-batting, killings, arson and looting in Block No. 32 & 36 (Log of Police Station Kalyanpuri).

The role of the senior officers, however, will be discussed separately.  It will suffice to say here that it is impossible to accept that they were not aware of what was happening in Trilokpuri area.

Besides the Press Reporters S/Shri Bedi, Suri and Maliakan, some women and children from Trilokpuri had reached Darya Ganj from where the following message came to the Police Head Quarters: -  

 “2^nd November, 1984 – 1825 hours Lt. Col informed Office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police Darya Ganj that many women and children have come to him weeping and all saying that people are indulging in killings in Block No. 34, Trilokpuri which has been totally deserted.”

Realizing that the carnage could no longer be hidden.  Additional Commissioner of police placed the SHO under suspension and a case under section 217/221 IPC and Delhi Police Act registered against him and Assistant Sub Inspector Jugti Ram   and Constable Driver Munshi Ram.

The most surprising thing is that even after two Companies of the Armed Police had arrived on the 2^nd November, 1984 evening and the Army was also on the scene, violence continued even on the 3^rd November, 1984.  And people had been killed and burnt as late as the afternoon of 3^rd November 1984.  On the morning of3rd November, 1984 two Press Reporters Shri Maliakan (2699) and Shri Rahul Kuldip Bedi (2824 & 147) had gone to Trilokpuri and have described how while going there they found two dead-bodies burning at the main entrance and while coming back after a few minutes they found two more added to them.  Smt. Vidya Rani (2342) has also described how in the morning of 3^rd November 1984 there was an attack in Block No.13, Trilokpuri where she resided.  The mob killed four persons of her house itself.  This would indicate that even after everything had come out in the open, there was no affective administration in this Police Station area and killings were continuing as the force was not properly deployed and Army was also not given proper guidance.

FIR' s

 The number of cases pertaining to riots registered in this Police Station was three on It November 1984, none on the 2^nd November 1984 and two on the 3^rd November 1984.  The first two FIR No. 422 & 423 are of a general nature registered at 1330 hours and 1530 hours on the reports of Sub Inspector Vinod Kumar, In charge, Police Post and Inspector Shoorvir Singh Tyagi, SHO Police Station Kalyanpuri.  FIR No. 422 states that there was a quarrel going on between Sikhs and the non-sikhs opposite Gurudwara, Patparganj Road.  Sub Inspector Vinod Kumar mentions that a mild lathi charge was done by him but the crowd burnt some nearby shops after sprinkling petrol.  He has stated to order firing of two rounds by a Constable as a result of which the crowd dispersed and the injured persons also went away with the crowd.  One person was also sent to the hospital.  FIR No.423 was on a report by Inspector Shoorvir Singh Tyagi.  He has stated that he reached Trilokpuri Chowk at 1420 hours along with   Sub Inspector Manphool Singh wher4e Head Constable Rajbir Singh and two other Constables were present.  All of them are stated to have gone to Block No.32, where according to the FIR there was lot of tension and stone throwing was going on.  Some people started burning the shops and Jhuggis.  On the orders of the SHO, Head Constable Rajbir Singh is stated to have fired five rounds and five rounds were fired by him with his revolver.  SHO after sending his report for registration had gone away to other places.

The third   FIR of 1st November 1984 was 424 registered at 1640 hours on a report of Sub Inspector Roshan Lal.  It pertains to Block No. 11 in Kalyanpuri and mentions a number of persons having been arrested along with their weapons.  These names included some of the deponents who later deposed before Justice Misra Commission as to how their weapons had been taken away by the Police.  The FIR only mentioned taking away of the weapons from these people though they also had been subsequently arrested and formed part of the twenty-five persons shown arrested on 1st November 1984.  All those arrested were Sikhs who were the victims.

FIR. No. 425 on 2^nd November, 1984 at 2045 hours was against Inspector Shoorvir Singh Tyagi and other staff on the report of Shri R.D> Malhotra, Assistant Commissioner of Police.  The charge s was dereliction of duty.

FIR No. 426 was registered on the report of Sub Inspector Manphool Singh in respect of killings in Block No. 32 & 36 Trilokpuri during the riots.

FIR No. 427 had been registered on 3rdl November, 1984 at 1520 hours in respect of killings on that day when three Sikhs were stated to be burnt on the main road in Block No.13.  It also mentioned the arrest of seven persons on the spot.  Surprisingly, however, section 302 IPC had not been mentioned in the FIR even though the killings were stated.