POLICE STATION SARAI ROHILLA

SHO: INSPECTOR TRILOK SINGH (A SIKH OFFICER) WAS CHANGED ON THE MORNING OF IST NOVEMBER 1984 AND INSPECTOR RAGHUNATH SINGH TOOK OVER THE CHARGE AS S.H.O.

This Police Station has one Police Post namely, Inderlok under it and Sub Inspector O.P. Sahai incharge of the same.  

DEATHS

According to the Police Station records, the number of persons killed in the police station Sarai Rohilla was twelve whereas subsequent investigation by Delhi Administration, Delhi indicates 44 deaths.

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

From the police records it appears that the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) had sent a message on 31^st October 1984 to SHO, Police Station Sarai Rohilla that no mob should be allowed to gather near Gurudwara.  Special attention was to be paid to car parking and market places.  These instructions apparently remained only on paper because in Sarai Rohilla three Gurudwara were subjected to attack and arson.  Besides, it would be clear from the various affidavits filed before the Commission that a large number of houses, shops and motor vehicles were also burnt in the jurisdiction of this Police Station.

As already mentioned, the change of this SHO at this critical time was administratively unsound.  The incidents of violence in this Police Station had started after the new SHO took charge i.e. on 1st November 1984.  Initially the buses were stopped near Inderlok Chowk, followed by looting and arson.  The most serious incident, however, was the firing in Sarai Rohilla Gurudwara opposite Railway Protection Force Lines.  The first indication that trouble was brewing near this Gurudwara was a message which was received in the Police Control Room at 1501 hours in which it was reported that on Old Rohtak Road near Railway Protection Force Lines, Police Station Sarai Rohilla, people had taken out arms and some trouble was brewing.  This message was communicated to all concerned from Additional Commissioner of Police) Range) downwards.  From the report of Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) also it is clear that he along with Addl. Commissioner of Police rushed to the spot and sent messages to SHO and Asst. Commissioner of Police to arrive at the Gurudwara.  To quote from his report dated the 10^th November, 1984:

“ I along with Additional Commissioner of Police (Range), Delhi rushed there and the situation laws controlled.  Assistant Commissioner of Police Ashok Vihar also reached there and took charge of the situation.”

If this statement is to be believed, Addl. Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) were the first to arrive and thereafter Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ashok Vihar also reached the scene of occurrence.  Dy. Commissioner of Police states that the situation was controlled.  However, if the witnesses who were cross-examined at length by the Misra Commission are to be believed, the police did not control the situation, merely ordered the Sikhs to enter Gurudwara and thereafter the Railway Protection Force Jawans started firing indiscriminately.  Misra Commission had this incident investigated on the affidavit of Balbir Singh (2368) and came up with a finding which is quoted below: - 

“ Firing by Railway Protection Force on Gurudwara Prima facie correct.  Forty-seven rounds of .303 ammunition fired as disclosed from the record.  Firing was prima facie unwarranted.  Police Officers on duty lost total control over the subordinates and the subordinates got arms and ammunitions issued to themselves and resorted to uncontrolled firing.”

This firing took place after 1500 hrs and before 1525 hours as we have a message in the log book of Police Station Sarai Rohilla from G.3 i.e. Additional Commissioner of Police (Range) to the effect that firing is taking place in front of the Railway Protection Force Lines and that SHO, Police Station Sarai Rohilla should also reach there.  From this it is clear that Assistant Commissioner of Police had reached the scene of occurrence and they also needed the SHO it assist. 

FIR' s

Only two cases have been registered in this Police Station on 1st November 1984 and both of them are on complaints by private persons sent through Sub Inspector although a very large number of incidents had taken place.

1. FIR NO. 489: -Registered on 1st November 1984 at 6.00 PM. On a report of one Shri Ajab Singh S/o Shri Sohan Singh, Shastri Nagar Colony.  He described how he and his brother were standing outside their house at about 4.00 PM. On 1st November, 1984 when a big mob came and started beating the complainant and his brother.  He describes how his brother was seriously injured and fell down, besides a few other Sikhs who similarly beaten up.  He also narrated how a number of shops were burnt.  He has, however, not named any person in the mob but claims to be able to identify them.  The report of the Sub Inspector Siya Ram who sent the report to Police Station for registration, also mentioned one person having died.  However, this FIR does not incorporate Section 302 IPC, which should normally have been done by the Police.  
   

2. FIR NO. 490: - Registration at 7.00 PM. On 1st November, 1984 on a report of Manmohan Singh S/o Shri Sardar Singh mentions about the incidents at Gurudwara opposite Railway Protection Force Lines.  The time of incident mentioned is 3.15 PM.  However, this FIR, which was sent for registration to the Police Station by Sub Inspector Om Dutt, does not mention specifically firing from Railway Protection Force Lines. It seems to relate to the same incident because the father of Shri Manmohan Singh was injured in the firing from Railway Protection Force Lines.  His father Sardar Singh Ahuja, who has also deposed in the Misra Commission vide affidavit (No. 2330) was injured by a gun shot and removed to Hindu Rao Hospital.  One Surender Singh S/o Shri Gurjit Singh got a bullet wound and died on the spot.  Besides, when persons had died, the sections under which the FIR was registered should have also included section 302 IPC that has not been done.