|
C
H A P T E R - 7 Sri
Chander Prakash, Deputy Commissioner of Police 7.1.
South District consists mainly
of posh and affluent colonies although there are few resettlement colonies
in Delhi Cantt., Srinivaspuri, Mehraulli and Naraina located on the periphery
of the border with Haryana. 7.2.
Shri Chander Prakash
was the Deputy Commissioner of Police of South District during the riots.
He was assisted by Shri Ajay Chadha, Addl. Deputy Commissioner
of Police and 4 Assistant Commissioners of Police each in charge of one
Sub Division as follows:- (I)
SUB DIVISION DELHI CANTT.( Shri D.P. Verma, ACP) PS
Delhi Cantt. :SHO Rohtas Singh: 8.3.1983 To 7.11.1984 PS Naraina : SHO Vijay Sachdeva : 14.6.83 To 27.10.85 PS
R.K.Puram : SHO Ramphal Singh : 8.10.83
To 6.11.84 PS
Vasant Vihar : SHO Daryao Singh : 8.10.83
To 6.11.84 (ii)
SUB DIVISION HAUZ KHAS – ( Shri Krishan Gopal, ACP) PS
Hauz Khas : SHO Shiv Dutt Sharma
: 28.5.84 to 23.2.87 PS
Mehraulli : SHO Jaipal Singh : 9.2.84
to 27.10.85 PS
Vinay Nagar :SHO Harmeet Singh : 15.9.83 to 4.6.85 (iii)
SUB DIVISION LAJPAT NAGAR – (‘Shri Avinash Chandra, ACP) PS
Lajpat Nagar: SHO Ombeer Singh: 29.10.82 to 27.10.85 PS
Kalka Ji : SHO Bhupinder Kumar :
7.10.83 to 5.6.85 PS
Badarpur : SHO Sukhbir Singh : 20.3.84
to 26.10.85 (IV)
SUB DIVISION DEFENCE COLONY – ( Shri K.B. Kumar, ACP) PS
Defence Colony : SHO Ram
Chander : 20.3.84 to 3.12.85 PS
Lodhi Colony : SHO Sita Ram :
16.4.82 to 6.11.84 PS
Hazrat Nizamuddin : SHO Ramphal
: 13.4.83 to 9.1.86 7.3. During the November, 1984 ,riots there was wide-spread violence in South District right from
the afternoon of 31st October, 1984 and practically all the
Police Stations were
seriously affected.
Trouble continued up tothe4th of November, 1984 even though this
was the first District to
get outside force as well as contingents of the Army as soon as army was
called in one the 1st of November, 1984.
Unfortunately, the records
reveal that there was a total break-down of law and order in this District
which is one of the largest Districts in Delhi having 14 Police Stations. 7.4. It is a sad commentary on the functioning
of the Police in this District that although trouble had started in the
afternoon of 31st October,
1984 in and around the All
India Medical Institute, a graphic description of which has been
given by Shri Jagjit Singh (2314), a labour leader , belong to the Congress
(I) and Shri Kuldip Singh (2312), precautionary measures do not seem to
have been taken by the police. One
would normally have expected that when incidents of violence had started
in this District, the police
in all the Police Stations would have been alerted and necessary precautionary measures initiated. Instead of this,
we find total passivity on the part of the police.
This is clear from the large number of affidavits filed in the
Misra Commission by responsible persons, social reformers and public-spirited
people who were not directly affected
by the riots. While some of these independent witnesses were residents of South
Delhi, others came from other parts of the city and have given their independent
opinion. It would be worthwhile
mentioning some
of these to show the general attitude of the police. 7.5.
Dr. Sushila Nayar, a former Union Health Minister, sent a letter
dated 6.11.84 to Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, the then Union Home Minister,
regarding the police inaction and the general unhelpful attitude of the
Police. An extract from her
letter is quoted below :- “
I write this to you with a heavy heart.
My cousin brother Shri D.P. Nayyar, , who
retired as Education Adviser in the Planning Commission some time
ago lives in Sarvodaya Enclave, C-145.
He has a Sikh neighbour.
A mob came to set fire to the Sardar’s house on November 1, Shri
Dev Prakash’s son telephoned to the police.
The police asked ’whose house
is burning ? Is it Sikh’s
or Hindu’s? He replied ‘It is a Sikh’s house’ ‘let is burn’. Was the reply.
This poison in the police is dangerous for our Country.” Dr.
Nayar goes on to describe some more incidents at NOIDA in her letter.
This letter was passed on by the Home Ministry vide d.o. letter
no. 14036/219/84-UT(P) dated 20.11.87, from Director (Delhi), Ministry
of Home Affairs to Shri S.S.Jog
, the then Commissioner of
Police, Delhi. 7.6.
Some other independent deponents also described the attitude of
the police who asked them why they were worried and ‘were they not Hindus?
Prominent among these were : Shri Ashok Jaitly (2512) a Senior IAS Officer
and Smt. Jaya Jaitly (2702), Miss Poonam Mutteraja(2510), Shri Dinesh
Mohan (2712), Shri Ravi Chopra (2771), Shri Smitu Kothari (2268), Shri
V.Khosla (2589), and Shri Amit Bararia (2738). Many of the deponents stated
that the mobs who were indulging in looting and arson were ‘happy’ , in
a’ festive mood’ and ‘jubilant’.
Smt. Jaya Srivastava (2705), Mr. George Mathews(2642); Shri Smitu
Kothari(2268); Shri Asim Srivastava (2676) to name a few. Many deponents
also indicated complete indifference and passivity on the part of the
police, viz., Shri Madhu Dandavate (2641), Shri Rajiv Lochan (2775), Smt.
Lalita Ramdas (2693 & 2647), Shri Joseph maliakan (2699), Mrs. Gouri
Choudhary (2511) etc. Sri Amit Bararia (2738)
actually saw the police shooting into the Sikh house.
It is a pity that the police force which should be completely impartial
and non-communal should have behaved in such a partisan manner and as
Dr. Sushila Nayar has rightly stated, this poison in the police is dangerous
for our country.” 7.7.
The main responsibility for what happened in the South District
falls on DCP (South). We
find that his actions were not such as would inspire confidence or such as one would expect from an officer of his
seniority and status. As
a matter of fact, he went to the extent of ignoring his own superiors,
even let off culprits who had been arrested by Additional C.P. Shri kaul
as would be clear from the following:- 7.8.
Shri Gautam Kaul, Additional Commissioner of Police, had stated
that on 1st November, 1984 he received a message in the evening that villagers
had organized themselves and were looting and burning bungalows in New
Friends Colony . He rushed
there and met DCP(South) who was moving with about 2 sections strength
in a pick up. They all entered
New Friends Colony and on being informed that the looters were in a particular
house near the house of Lt. General Jagjit Singh Aurora, he along with
some men entered the house but found nobody on the ground floor.
On reaching the first floor he found a man hiding in the cup-board
in the bath room. He pulled
him out and gave him a beating.
As he shrieked several villagers who were hiding under beds, in
almirah and under blankets suddenly
exposed themselves in panic.
Eight looters were thus caught with their pockets full of money,
Liquor bottles and other looted property.
All these looters were arrested.
From another bungalow in a similar manner six persons indulging
in looting were arrested. According
to Additional C.P., in a two-hour operation they arrested nearly 40 persons,
all looters. He goes on to
say that he told DCP(South) that he should dispatch the arrested persons
to the police station while they surveyed the entire area.
He then organized the local residents into a ‘self-defense group’
while the police was ordered to patrol the area at regular intervals.
He then goes on to describe how a bus-load of arrested persons were
brought from other Police Stations and locked up in P.S. Defence Colony
a. They included some persons
who attacked passengers in the train at Palam and others detained in the
Tughlakabad Railway Yard by the Railway Police. He gave specific instructions
to DCP (South) that since arrests had been made and incidents reported
from all over South District, instructions
may be issued to
register as many cases per incident as possible and special investigating
teams be created in the Police Stations for the registration of FIRs and
their subsequent investigation. 7.9.
It is surprising that these instructions were not complied with
by the DCP(South) and the police records again do not even show these
arrests made by the Additional Commissioner of Police himself.
Apparently, the persons arrested in the presence of Shri Kaul,
Additional C.P. were all let off by DCP (South) once his back was
turned. If
this is the manner in which the DCP (South) was functioning,
nothing much could be expected
from his subordinates. This
would be the reason why indifference, passivity and at times actual police
connivance was evident in the incidents of rioting, killing and arson
in all the Police Stations
in South District. 7.10.
There were more than 540 deaths in this District. The
bulk of them were in the jurisdiction of Police Station Delhi Cantt.
The next worst affected , as far as deaths are concerned, was PS
Srinivaspuri. Arson and looting
on an unprecedented
scale and some deaths continued unabated in the remaining police
Stations. When we examine
the records, we find that hardly any concrete action was taken by the
police in this District ,especially in the first three days of
the riots. Hardly any preventive
arrests were made during the entire period of the riots.
Besides, in spite of arson, loot and killings, arrests in registered
cases were nominal. Except
for Nizamuddin and Kalka
Ji, no tear-gas shells were used to disperse mobs
which were roaming
around unchecked and no one from the mob seems to have been hurt/killed
in police action. The general impression that one gets from the statements of
the deponents, both independent and those affected, is that the DCP and
his senior officers just did not care and were
permitting the crowds to continue their nefarious activities
unchecked, if not actually siding with them. 7.11.
The wireless log books of the senior officers of South District
have not been properly maintained, some have been tampered with and some
were not made available to the Committee by the office of the Commissioner
of police, Delhi in spite
of repeated requests: i. (a) The log book of DCP (South) has evidently been tampered with, and, pages have been actually torn out. There are no entries from 1st November, 1984 to 7th November, 1984 i.e. the entire period of the riots. The Head Constables who were functioning as Wireless Operators have, in written statements, pleaded ignorance about the tearing of the pages from the log book. Since the Wireless Operators would not have been the beneficiaries, it is doubtful whether they would have torn the relevant pages. The only beneficiary was the DCP (South) himself. He had pleaded ignorance about the killings especially in Delhi Cantt. Area and, therefore, the possibility of the DCP having tampered with the wireless log book can not be ruled out. As we will see subsequently, messages regarding the killing in Delhi Cantt. Are evident from the other police records, the log books of SHO and ACP Delhi Cantt. Obviously in a bid to remove this evidence the log book of DCP has been manipulated. A wireless log book is a very important and vital document in police functioning and by tearing on pages (pp numbered 192-195) a very serious offence has been committed.
ii.
The log books of Shri K.B. Kumar, ACP and Shri Krishan
Gopal, ACP Hauz Khas, have not been made available and it is, therefore,
difficult to say anything about them. iii.
The log book of Shri Ajay Chadha, Addl. DCP (South) appears to
have been re-written with some harmless entries as the log book contains
entries from 0900 hrs on 31st October, 1984 to 18.25 on 1st
November, 1984 only. Four
pages before 31st are blank and all the pages after 1825 hrs
on 1st November, 1984 are also blank.
His log books for period
before or after these dates have not been made available.
From this it is presumed that either they were not maintained or
there was something to hide in the original log book. If the statement
of Shri Ramesh Singh Rana, SI of Sagarpur Division
is accepted , Shri Chadha was in full connivance with the rioters
and instigating them this could be
one of the reasons that his complete log books have been
made available. It
might have revealed facts prejudicial to his interests. iv.
The log book of ACP Lajpat Nagar Shri Avinash Chander also seems
to be manipulated as it does
not contain many messages which had been sent to ACP Lajpat Nagar after 1010 hrs on 1.11.84 .
Besides, when
the events were happening
in quick succession, we find no messages recorded in his log book
between 1050 hrs to 1345
hrs and again from 1600 hrs
to 1855 hrs on 2.11.84. The
log book of the control room contains number of messages meant for ACP
Lajpat Nagar but these are not reflected
in his log book. 7.12.
The movement chart of DCP (South) and action taken by him also
does not tally with the records of the Police Station.
For instance, the DCP has stated that on 1.11.84 at 11.00 hrs he
fired to prevent clashes between two communities at Ashram Chowk.
However, the police records do not show any firing at Ashram Chowk. Some firing was done
by a constable at Shalimar Bridge which is not at Ashram Chowk
but a different locality.
The DCP also in his movement chart shows that at 1735 hrs on 1.11.84,
he rounded up some miscreants in the area of New Friends Colony.
However, scrutiny of
records and DD entries show
no preventive arrests in Srinivaspuri and the 18 persons arrested in connection
with FIR No.369 appear to have been arrested subsequent to the period
of riots. As has been indicated
earlier, the arrests made by the Addl. Commissioner of Police also have
not been
reflected in the police records.
So obviously they were let off scot free. 7.13.
In the entire District, hardly any preventive
arrests were made and in
many of the Police Stations not a single arrest was made either
in preventive cases or in the registered cases.
Whether it is lathi charge
or the use of tear-gas shells, very little seems to have been done
as a result of which the crowds remained
unchecked and carried on their nefarious
activities unhindered.
This confirms the observations of independent witnesses that the
police was passive and indifferent and did not rise to the occasion even
when approached by the deponents.
Deponents like Shri Dinesh Mohan (2712), Shri Ravi Chopra(2771),
Miss Poonam Muttereja (2510) and Shri Smitu Kothari (2268) among others
clearly high-light the indifference of the police of South District not
to mention Dr. Sushila Nayar,
an extract of whose d.o. letter has been reproduced earlier in para 5.
Some of the deponents like Shri Amit Bararia (2738), Shri V.Khosla(2589)
and others indicate that the police was not only indifferent but actively
sided with the miscreants. 7.14.
South District was the first District to get outside force and
also one of the first Districts where army came, to
assist the civil police.
However, since the will to act was apparently lacking and the police
was passive and at places conniving with the mobs,
the situation in this District
remained out of control in almost all the police stations.
The subordinate staff appeared to be confused because of lack of
leadership on the part of DCP (South).
In spite of clear instructions from the Police Commissioner’s office
that there should be no hesitation
in resorting to firing to control the situation, the police
in the whole of South District did not rise to the occasion as
a result of which all the Police Stations were badly affected.
The responsibility of this failure falls squarely on the shoulders
of DCP(South). 7.15.
Two Police Stations
namely Delhi Cantt. And Srinivaspuri were badly affected and accounted
for the bulk of the killings
in South District. It is,
therefore, proposed to deal with these two in some detail and to highlight some incidents in the remaining Police Stations in the subsequent
paragraphs. SHO
: Inspector Shri Vijay Malik 7.16.
Mayapuri Industrial Area of South West
Delhi and residential colonies like Naraina Vihar, Loha Mandi and
part of Nangal Rai fall within the jurisdiction of this Police Station.
There is one Police Post at Mayapuri. Though
no affidavits appear to have been filed before the Misra Commission from
this Police Station, this Committee received 10
affidavits indicating Police inaction and failure to give
protection from arson and looting.
It has also been stated by Shri Amarpal Singh (106/87), Smt. Germej
Kaur (225/87), Shri Charanjit Singh (106/87) and Shri SRS Malhotra (311/87),
and others that the FIRs was not properly registered by the police
and adequate compensation has not been paid by the Government for the
losses sufferer by the deponents. SEQUENCE
OF EVENTS 7.17. Instances of violence started in this area on
31st October, 1984 when a chemist shop in Nangal Rai belonging
to M/s. Kuldip Brothers was looted and set on fire.
The main incidents of violence, however, occurred on 1.11.84 and
continued up to 4th November, 1984.
One very serious incident pertained to the looting and burning
of a Gurudwara in C Block Narain Vihar at about 11.00 hrs on 1.11.84.
Three persons were killed in this Gurudwara in the presence of
the SHO and a party of police consisting of one SI , One Head Constable,
Four Constables and one
section of RAC (which consists of 10 people).
According to the SHO he tried to persuade the three people to come
down but they fell from the second floor in panic and died of burn injuries
on the spot. He
also states that 9 rounds
were fired by him to save the situation.
Obviously, this firing was not effective because no one was injured
or killed during this firing. POLICE
ACTION 7.18. The statement compiled by the Delhi Police indicates
that no arrests were made under registered cases up to the 3rd of November, 1984. Besides there was no use of tear gas or lathi charge to disperse
mobs. The firing resorted
to was also
ineffective. The arguments
of the SHO that the force was too small to deal with the situation
effectively also cannot be accepted because if effective use of
the existing staff had been made, the situation would not have deteriorated to the extent to
which it did. Besides, additional
force was also deputed to
this Police Station but apparently the will to act
was completely lacking. DEATHS 7.19.
The SHO has mentioned only three deaths in his report but the Delhi
Administration after enquiries have identified
14 deaths in this Police Station. CONCLUSION 7.20. While there are no specific
allegations against the
SHO, the fact remains that the police in this area
failed to take any effective action, as a result of which besides
large-scale arson and loot, 14 people
lost their lives. The general indifference which we witness in South District
is evident in this Police Station also.
POLICE STATION SHO
: Inspector Rampal Singh 7.21.
The Police Station of Ramakrishna Puram covers
13 Sectors of Government Quarters, Moti Bagh Government Quarters, Shanti Niketan , Palika Enclave etc.
SEQUENCE
OF EVENTS 7.22.
Violence in this area started on 31st October 1984
and continued up to
2nd November 1984. Taxi
Stands were burnt down and
the main market in Sector III
of R.K.Puram
was also set on fire. The
Gurudwara in Sector III was also damaged. On 1.11.84 a serious incident
took place in Palika Bhawan R.K. Puram where the crowd indulged
in looting and arson. AFFIDAVITS
BEFORE MISRA COMMISSION 7.23.
Shri Sarwan Singh
R/o/ Gobindpuri (2654) has given a description of burning and looting
of his shop; besides Mr. George Mathews
(2642) and Shri Rajiv Lochan (2775) have also given affidavits
to show the jubilant mood of the mob and the passive attitude of the police.
Three affidavits have also been filed before
this Committee complaining against police inactivity and loss sustained
by the deponents. POLICE
ACTION 7.24. During the riots the police had not made any arrests
either under preventive sections of law or substantive offences. There was no use of tear smoke or lathi charge.
Apparently on 1.11.84 the police resorted to firing on one occasion
( two rounds of rifle). The
police station records, particularly the wireless log book,
indicate that quite a few messages of loot and arson were coming
in but no effective action appears to have been taken. CONCLUSION
7.25.
Although there are no personal allegations against any individual
police officer of this area the general indifference and passivity on
the part of police is certainly established. SHO
: Inspector
Shri Daryao Singh 7.26. In this area
affluent sections of the public reside in Vasant Enclave, Priya Enclave,
Poorvi Marg, Munirka Marg and there is a
well-known Public School,
Guru Harkrishan Public School, within the jurisdiction of this
Police Station. SEQUENCE
OF EVENTS 7.27. Incidents of violence started in this area in
the afternoon of 31st October 1984 and arson and looting continued
on 1st and a few incidents also occurred on 2nd November, 1984 AFFIDAVITS
BEFORE MISRA COMMISSION 7.28. From the affidavits of independent people like : miss Poonam Muttreja (2510), Shri Vasant Saberwal (2643) and Shri Rajiv Lochan (2775), it is evident that the police in this area was not inclined to take any effective action against the rioters. 7.29. One of
the most serious incidents
was the burning down of the Guru Harkrishan Public School on 1st November,
1984. This has been graphically
described by Miss Poonam Muttreja.
This deponent learnt about
the intention of the crowd to burn the School
and the house of one Shri Oberoi who lived in her colony, at about
0700 hrs. She rang up the
Vasant Vihar Police Station
and informed them of the intention of the mob to burn up the School.
The School was actually burnt at about 10.00 O’ Clock as
is evident from the affidavit of Shri, S.M. Purohit (2591) who was the Vice Principal of
the School but in spite of the efforts of Miss Poonam Muttreja
the police failed to take any effective action.
On the other hand the SHO who reached the place where the deponent
was trying to dissuade the mob from burning the School, asked her to move away.
The SHO was extremely rude to her and ordered her to stop interfering
and went off on his motor cycle after talking to the crowd.
The crowd then ran back to the School and set it on fire.
She also made efforts to contact Hauz Khas police Station
and telephone No. 100 at 9 AM. But without success. Thus in spite of her efforts for 3 hours police did not come
to rescue and the School got burnt down at about 10 AM. She has given
a graphic description of the attitude of the
police not only in Vasant Vihar but in other areas.
A maid servant gave her to understand that she should not be amazed
at the behaviour
of the police as her village had been visited by the police at
night and the villagers had been
told that they had three days in which they could loot the Sikh
Community. Miss Muttreja
joined the peace march and has given a description of the police
inactivity in other areas of South District from which it would
appear that the police was apathetic and indifferent to the violence which
was spreading all over. She
also visited relief
camps in order to help the victims.
Misra Commission and she stood
by whatever she stated
in her affidavit and so have other independent witnesses. 7.30.
S/Shri Rajiv Lochan and Vasant Salbewal two students of the Jawahar
Lal Nehru University and
Shri Dinesh Mohan (2712)
have also given similar versions of the police indifference in South Delhi. Their
efforts to make the police
act also met with no success. Wherever
they met the police personnel, they seemed to be just watching indifferently
and taking no effective action. POLICE
ACTION 7.31.
The report of SHO also indicates that they seemed to be just moving
along with the crowd but not taking any effective
and concrete action. Except
for one arrests on 1.11.84
no arrests were made under registered cases or under preventive sections
during the course of the riots.
Neither there was any use of tear smoke or lathi
charge or fire arms to control the riots. CONCLUSION
7.32.
Although there was
no loss of life in this area the fact remains that arson and looting which
could have been prevented
was not prevented by the police. SHO’s role was also of a dubious
nature. SHO
: Inspector Shiv Dutt Sharma 7.33.
This Police Station covers residential and business area in and
around Hauz Khas.
Fairly well to do people reside in this area. Violence
in this Police Station started in the evening of 31st October
84 and continued right up to 3rd
November, 1984. AFFIDAVITS
BEFORE THE MISRA COMMISSION 7.34. Shri Gopal
Singh (2578) has stated that on 1.11.84 at about 10.00 AM. Police was
outside the Gurudwara of the Colony
but when the mob came
the police disappeared and
the Gurudwara was looted and set on fire.
Smt. Satinder Kaur (2392) widow of late Wing Commander G.B.Singh has stated that her house was attacked on 1.11.84.
The police came after a long delay and even when they came they
merely sat
outside in easy chairs gossiping and left after some time.
Her house was again attacked by the same people and plundered and
burnt down. She was saved
because she had taken refuge
in a neighbor’s house. Shri Dinesh Mohan (2712) has also described the
general indifference and apathy of the police in that area. POLICE
ACTION 7.34.
The SHO of the area was on sick leave and Shri A.K. Ojha, ACP,
was asked to look after the work.
He appears to have
made some efforts to deal with the situation and arrested 74 persons on 1.11.84
and also registered cases at the Police Station.
Firing was also resorted
to on one occasion. However, the SHO Shri Sharma was ordered to join back immediately
and he joined on the morning of 2.11.84 .
The SHO indicates
only one death during the riots but according to the Ahuja Committee’s
finding there were 19 deaths of residents of this Police Station.
The details of these are not available from the records or the affidavits
filed before the Misra Commission. In the statement of major J.S.Sandhu before the Misra Commission,
who was on Recce--- duty on
1.11.84 , there is mention of an Inspector
of Police in uniform who tried to misguide him on the road leading
from Green Park towards the cantonment.
However, he has not specified the name of the officer and it is,
therefore, difficult to identify who exactly was misleading him. CONCLUSION
7.36. Keeping in view the general trend, the conduct
of Shri Ojha, ACP, can be appreciated as this is the only Police Station where a large number of arrests were made one
day which had a salutary effect as thereafter there were fewer incidents.
However, Shri Ojha functioned as SHO for one day only before the regular SHO returned to duty.
Perhaps if he had continued
there might have been even fewer incidents on
subsequent days. SHO
: Inspector Jaipal Singh 7.37.
This Police Station
covers a number of villages such as Mahipalpur, Chattarpur, Gadaipur etc.
In this area are also located a number of farms and farm houses
belonging to VIPs and well to do people of Delhi.
Affidavits received by the Committee
are of a general nature stating police inaction resulting in losses
in business establishment and general indifference on the part of the
authorities. SEQUENCE
OF EVENTS 7.38. The main incidents of violence in this area started
on 1.11.84 and continued up to 3.11.84.
A number of
farms belonging to the Sikh community
were set on fire in this area.
The most serious incident was at Chhatwal Poultary Farm on 1st
November, 1984 when five members of the family were burnt
to death. There
was arson in Gurudwara Singh Sabha, Gurudwara Nanak Dairy and shops
near Mahipalpur. Shops in
Andheria Morh were also set ablaze besides petrol pump near Qutab Minar. 7.39.
The incident of Chhatwal Farm was really distressing because the
police were fully aware of the tension in this area from Addl. DCP downwards.
As a matter of fact, ASI Dinesh Tiwari along with two Constables
was stationed at the Farm to ensure that no
untoward incident took place but in spite of these people being
present, the Farm was set ablaze and 5 members of the family were burnt to death.
There are complaints that Shri Jagjit Singh, owner of
the Farm, had handed over this
was taken away by the SHO
. There are also complaint
that the daughter of Shri jagjit Singh was molested by the ASI.
Those complaints were enquired into by the Commissioner of Police
but apparently could not be proved.
It is however clear from the facts that Shri Dinesh Tiwari ASI
who had been deputed at Chhatwal Farm was unable to control the situation
and his plea that he had gone elsewhere when the attack took place appears
unreliable. He had been depute by his superiors and he obviously
did not do much to protest
the Farm which resulted in the death of five members of the family. POLICE
ACTION 7.40. It is also strange that in spite of the fact that
mobs of thousands were roaming around and the police also resorted
to firing no one was killed or even injured as
a result of this. The police
did not make any preventive arrests nor did they use any tear gas
to disperse the crowds. The
FIRs do not show any arrests in substantive cases, so the arrests of
25 persons in registered
cases must have been made subsequent to the riots. DEATHS
7.41.
According to the police records, at least 9 persons were killed
in the jurisdiction of this
Police Station as per FIRs 406, 413 and 419.
Of course, at least 5 deaths were either due to the cowardice or
inaction and unwillingness
to take action on the part of Shri Dinesh Tiwari, ASI. CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATIONS 7.42. ---------------------
penalty should
be taken against Shri Dinesh Tiwari, ASI.
Sri Jaipal Singh SHO also has not come out in a very good light
and suitable action should also be taken against him. SHO : Inspector Harmit Singh 7.43. This Police Station
covers residential areas of Vinay Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Laxmi
Bai Nagar, West Kidwai
Nagar and private residential areas in Safdarjung Enclave. EVENTS
AND AFFIDAVITS BEFORE MISRA COMMISSION 7.44.
The affidavits before the Misra Commission of Shri Sardar Singh
(2311), Kuldip Singh (2312), Shri Ajit Singh (2315), Shri G.B.Singh (2317),
Mr. George Mathews (2642), Shri Prabhjeev Miglani (2527), Shri Tejinder
Singh (2316), and some affidavits filed before the Committee show that
the incidents in this Police Station started in the evening of 31st
October, 1984 and continued up to 3rd November, 1984. There
was arson and looting on Ring Road . Africa
Avenue crossing and Safdarjung Enclave. Gurudwara at Sarojini Nagar
was attacked and Kamal Cinema was set on fire.
Shri Ajit Singh 92315) has gone on record to say that when he contacted the local Police Station/Fire
Station, he was informed that they had orders not to move out.
There are also a number of complaints against the behaviour of
Shri Sant Lal Malik of an intelligence ----------------------- Major J.S.
Sandhu and the
victims. Shri G.B.Singh,
a retired IAS
Officer has given a graphic description of the events in this area
and Shri Kuldip Singh (2312) has also given details of the dubious role
played by Shri Malik. POLICE
ACTION 7.45. The SHO of the Police Station being a Sikh Officer
made four arrests in registered cases and also resorted to firing on 1.11.84.
However, he was immobilized from the afternoon of 1.11.84 by his
seniors and thereafter remained at the Police Station.
As a result violence continued and although the report of the SHO
shows no casualties in this Police Station,
the Ahuja Committee has confirmed four deaths from this area.
Immobilization of the officer who was trying to take some action
was apparently not a judicious act of the part of his seniors but it certainly
was in conformity with the
general trend of allowing incidents to occur unchecked in this District.
Major J.S. Sandhu in his statement before the Misra Commission
has also given a graphic description of the situation which he had to
confront. CONCLUSION 7.46.
Although no specific allegations, against any police officers,
have been made apart from Shri Malik of the Intelligence organization,
the passive role of the police is
quite evident in this area.
SHO
: Inspector Ombir Singh 7.47. Lajpat Nagar Police Station covers the four
sectors of Lajpat Nagar, Amar Colony, Sant Nagar, Daya Nand Colony,
Nehru Nagar, Garhi and Vikram Vihar and is a fairly congested area in
South Delhi. SEQUENCE
OF EVENTS 7.48.
Incidents of arson and looting in Lajpat Nagar started in the night
of 31st October, 1984 and continued
right up to 4th November, 1984 unchecked by the police.
The police made no arrests either in registered cases of under
preventive sections of law and throughout
the period of riots
no tear gas shells were used
nor did the police resort
to firing. In spite of numerous
instances, only 5 FIRs were registered none of which indicate the deaths
which occurred in that area. DEATHS 7.49.
While the Delhi Administration
has boasted in their submission before the Justice Misra Commission that
there was not even a single casualty in the area of Lajpat Nagar, the
Ahuja Committee subsequently set up identified 14 dead bodies in Lajpat
Nagar during the riots. AFFIDAVITS
BEFORE THE COMMISSION &
COMMITTEE 7.50.
A large number of affidavits were received in the Misra Commission
and three affidavits were also received by this Committee
regarding the incidents in this area and the indifference and inactivity
on the part of the police. A
number of these deponents were also cross-examined by the Misra Commission.
Some of the main deponents
before the Misra Commission were
S/Shri Charanjit Singh
(2282), Jagat Singh (2391), Amar
Pal Singh (2492), Kuldip Singh , Rakhi (2575), Har Gopal (2620), Madan
Singh Chawla(2682), Gurcharan Singh (2706), Mohinder Singh Chawla (2681)
besides independent witnesses like Shri Ravi Chopra (2771),
Smt. Jaya Jaitly (2702), Shri Dinesh Mohan (2712), to name a few. 7.51.
In Lajpat Nagar, a salient feature was the good relations between
the Hindus and the Sikhs. Shri Jagat Singh (2391) has described how the
residents of the area approached the police in the morning on the 1st of November, 1984 so that
no untoward incident occurs in that area.
The attitude of the police was unhelpful and hence realizing that
the authorities were not going to help, the
Hindus and Sikhs of the area formed peace committees to resist
the mobs. The police
was present on most occasions when Gurudwaras were being burnt and miscreants
were indulging in arson and looting. The police instead of tackling mobs
threatened the members of the peace committee to disperse otherwise the
police would open fire on the members of the peace committee. 7.52.
The general attitude of the police in this area was not only mere
passivity but on many occasions they appear to be siding with
the miscreants as would be clear from the affidavits of Shri
Jagat Singh and others who stood their ground even during
the cross-examination by the Delhi Administration and the Union
of India. CONCLUSION
& RECOMMENDATION 7.53.
The overall picture, therefore, of the police functioning in this
Police Station indicates
total inactivity and it would not be far from truth to say that
the police permitted arson and looting in their very presence which
was indeed shameful on the part of the custodians of law and order. There
are specific allegations against the attitude of Shri V.P. Rana, Sub Inspector,
in the affidavit of Shri Gurcharan Singh (2706) which needs to be carefully
examined and suitable
action taken. SHO
: Inspector
Shri Bhupinder Kumar 7.54. This Police Station covers posh colonies
like Greater Kailash Part I
and II, Chittaranjan Park, Okhla Phase-II, Nehru Place etc. There
are six Police Posts under this Police Station. SEQUENCE
OF EVENTS 7.55.
Incidents of arson and looting started in the morning of 1st November’84
and continued right up to the
3rd November’84 in
Nehru Place, Kalka Ji, Dakshinpuri and Gobindpuri.
According to the report of the SHO he received 103
complaints which have been covered in general FIRs. DEATHS
7.56. In the arguments
given by the Delhi Administration before the Misra Commission there were
no deaths in the jurisdiction of this Police Station.
The SHO has, however, mentioned only
one death of a non-Sikh during the riots. The Ahuja Committee on
the other hand has come to the conclusion that at least 7 deaths took
place in the area in this Police
Station. POLICE
ACTION 7.57.
In spite of the fact that a large number of incidents took place
in this area as is evident from the police records, no arrests were made
either under the preventive sections or substantive offences during the
entire period of the riots. The police did not resort to any lathi charge and there is only one mention of some
tear gas being used on 1.11.84.
The report submitted by the SHO in respect of this Police Station
contains a large number of discrepancies vis-ŕ-vis the various
other records made available by Delhi Police. In his report dated 6.12.84
he has mentioned that three preventive arrests were made during the riots.
At another place he mentions six such arrests were made.
However, the records
do not indicate when and how these arrests were made.
In fact the chart prepared by the Delhi Police subsequently shows
no arrests during the period of the riots.
CONCLUSION
7.58.
The police in this area has shown indifference and passivity to
the incidents which were occurring in their jurisdiction during the riots.
However, no specific allegations against individual police officers
have been made by the deponents. SHO
: Inspector Shri Sukhbir
Singh 7.59.
Located along the border of Haryana this Police Station covers
mainly the Industrial Complex
near Okhla on one side along
with Mathura Road, Tughlakabad and Suraj Kund on the other side. SEQUENCE
OF EVENTS 7.60.
Trouble in this Police Station started in the evening of 31st
October 1984 when mobs stopped
vehicles on Mathura Road, dragged Sikhs from these vehicles and beat them
up. Sebal Cinema was set
on fire and a number of vehicles set
ablaze. The mob also
attempted to set fire to the Badarpur Gurudwara and Ahluwalia Petrol Pump
on Mathura Road. Incidents
of arson and looting continued throughout the night of 31st
October and on 1.11.84. Mohan
Meakin factory situated in Phase I of the Industrial Area and another
factory in B Block was set on fire by the mobs and a dozen Sikhs sustained
injuries, one of whom died on the spot.
Incidents continued right up to 4th November, 1984. AFFIDAVITS
BEFORE THE COMMISSION 7.61. Shri Kamaljit Singh (2413) and Shri Damanjit
Singh (2758) had filed affidavits before the Misra Commission which relate
to incidents in this area and the refusal of the police to take any concrete
action. Instead of taking action the police threatened the relatives
of the deponent Shri Kamaljit Singh and directed them to give
false statements. They
also did not conduct proper investigations.
Shri Kamaljit Singh has also described
how repeated efforts to seek police help were of no avail resulting
in family members being mercilessly beaten up
by the crowd. As a
matter of fact police wanted to know how they had managed to save themselves
so far and where they had concealed themselves.
It was only with the help of an army Captain that the deponent
was later sent to Safdarjung Hospital. AFFIDAVIT
S BEFORE THE COMMITTEE 7.62.
Fourteen affidavits from this area have been filed
before this Committee and they all allege police indifference and loss
of property due to the negligence of the police. According to them the
police took no action when killings
were going on in Tughlakabad Railway Colony and factories were
being looted on Mathura Road. Their
cases were also not properly investigated. POLICE
ACTION 7.63.
Although in the arguments before the Misra Commission, Delhi Administration
has submitted that the police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the
crowd on 31st evening,
a statement prepared by Delhi Police shows no lathi charge during
the riots. The police also
did not make use of tear
gas to disperse the crowd or make any preventive arrests.
The SHO’s report dated
27.11.84 mentions a lathi charge which is not corroborated by the Police
records. 7.64.
In addition to the rioting and other
violent incidents in this Police Station, Tughlakabad Railway Station
also falls within its jurisdiction.
As has been examined elsewhere
while dealing with the Railway Police
large scale killings took place at the Railway Station
and the Chief Security Officer
of the Northern Railways had also gone to PS Badarpur to seek assistance
but was informed that no force was available to deal with the situation
at the Railway Station. CONCLUSION 7.65.
Although there are no specific allegations against individual police
officers it is quite clear that the police in this area miserably failed
to rise to the occasion and gave a very poor account of itself. POLICE STALTION DEFENCE COLONY SHO
: Inspector Ram Chander 7.66.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences is located in the area
of this Police Station and it also covers affluent colonies like Defence
Colony, Gulmohar Park, Kotla
Mubarakpur, Andrews Ganj, Part of Safdarjung Flyover etc.
There are two Police Posts- one at Kotla Mubarakpur and the other
at Gulmohar Park. SEQUENCE
OF EVENTS 7.67.
Incidents of violence started
at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences when the President’s car
cede was stoned in the afternoon when he came to the institute where Smt.
Indira Gandhi’s body had been kept at that time.
This should have put the entire police force on alert but it failed
to do so which is indeed tragic.
The incidents in the area of this Police Station continued from
the afternoon of 31st
October, 1984 till 2nd November, 1984.
There were some incidents on
3rd November also when shops in Gautam Nagar were set
ablaze. AFFIDAVITS
BEFORE THE MISRA COMMISSION 7.68.
A number of affidavits were filed before the Misra Commission giving
details of the trouble in
this area :- prominent among them
are those of Shri Kuldip Singh (2312)
and Shri Jagjit Singh (2314) who himself is a Congress worker and was
present at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, on hearing about
the news of Smt. Indira Gandhi.
Besides him, we have the affidavits of Shri Karam Singh (2651)
who describes the
burning of the Gurudwara and independent witnesses like Shri Ravi Chopra
(2771), Shri Dinesh Mohan (2772) and Shri George Mathews
(2642) have graphically described what they saw on 31.10.84
near the AIIMS. During their peace march later.
Shri Jagjit Singh (2314) has also vividly described how
the attack started and how he was advised by responsible people including
one who appeared to be a policeman to go away from the area as
being a Sikh he was likely to get into trouble.
The independent witnesses like Ravi Chopra, George Mathews, Dinesh
Mohan, Poonam Muttereja who were also cross-examined in the Misra
Commission have clearly stated that they got an impression that the
police was a silent spectator while the mobs went about their nefarious
activities. The police did
not take any action or any steps
to stop the rioters. The
Kuldip Singh (2312) has described how he managed to escape from the rioters
because of the help given by Major Sandhu. AFFIDAVITS
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE 7.69.
A large number of affidavits (20 in number) have been received
by the Committee and they have complained about police inaction and the
loss they suffered during the riots. They have also complained that their FIRs
were not properly recorded as the prominent among these are : Shri
Surinder Singh Bindra (70/87), Shlri T.S.Bedi(71/87), Shri
Jeet Singh Bindra (74/87) and Shri Paul Police
did not prevent the
burning and looting of their properties; Singh (133/87).
Shri Paul Singh has even
stated that his business
establishment which is right in front of the Police Station was
looted and burnt but the police did not come out to save his property.
Even when he reported the matter to the police,
they took no action to investigate and recover his property.
Few of the affidavits are also from non-Sikhs who suffered
during the riots. 7.70.
Although no loss of human life was reported from this area, there was large scale arson and looting
for three days. 7.71.
The Commissioner of Police Shri Tandon has in his statement to
Justice Misra Commission dated the 18th February, 1986 indicated
that on 31st October, 1984 he along with other Officers of
Delhi Administration had gone to Defence Colony
area where he saw miscreants burning shops in the market and he
also recollects a car parked in a house being burnt. This was round about 8.00 PM., ACP Defence Colony and SHO,
Defence Colony also arrived on the spot and on the directions of the Commissioner
of Police 45 persons were arrested by the local police.
Similarly , Shri Gautam Kaul, Additional Commissioner of Police
in his statement (note contained in Delhi Police Head Quarters Special
Inquiry Cell files. No. XXV/1/85 Vol. XIII) said that he went to Defence
Colony area on 1st November,
1984 on hearing that the Army, which had by then been
called in to the aid of civil administration, was setting up a wireless
station in Police Station, Defence Colony.
He reached the Police Station at about 9.30 PM. And while he was
there to quote him – “ at that time we got a busload of arrested looters
brought from other Police Stations and they were all hurled into
lock up. This mob
included rioters who had stopped the train near Palam and attacked the
passengers. Also the Railway
Police had passed on some
persons who were detained by them in the Tughlakabad Railway Yard.”
He then directed Deputy
Commissioner of Police (South) who
was also there that
since arrests had been made cases should be registered and special investigation
teams created for registration of FIRs and their subsequent investigation.
However the records of Police Station Defence Colony specially
the Daily Diaries on these dates do not account for these arrests made
during the visit of the Commissioner of Police on 31st October,
1984, and the Addl. Commissioner
of police on 1st November, 1984, although there are 5 FIRs relating to
some other incidents. It
seems that as in other police Stations arrested persons were let off by
Deputy Commissioner of Police and his subordinates even though the arrests
were in the full knowledge of such Senior Officers.
This would also explain
why in spite of large scale arson and loot the police did not resort to any lathi charge except
perhaps on 1st November, 1984.
No tear gals shells were used
nor did the police resort
to any firing to control the riots in
this area. It is,
therefore, not strange that even though the army was called in and was
deployed in South District right from the
start, incidents in this
area continued right
up to the 3rd November.
Force would have been effective
only if it was utilized properly and police had the will to take
action. 7.72.
The impression one gets on going through the records of this Police
Station is that the police in the initial stages
took some action but thereafter it sat back and allowed the rioters
to have a field day.
The SHO has himself admitted 13 instances of arson and looting,
44 vehicles being
burnt, 24 shops and 4 houses being damaged and 3 Gurudwaras set ablaze.
These figures are on the lower
side when we compare the incidents as shown in the wireless logs. CONCLUSION
7.73. |