Affidavit submitted before Misra Commission

           I, Gurbachan Kaur wife of S. Balwant Singh, aged 38 years, resident of 26/1, Colony No.19, Poultry Farm, Delhi Cantt. New Delhi, at present staying in Hari Nagar Relief Camp, Tent No.26, solemnly affirm and declare as under: -

1.                  My husband – Balwant Singh is employed as Chowkidar in B.S.O. Office, G.E. East, M.E.S. Delhi Cantt. On 31-10-84 my husband, on hearing the news of the attack on Smt. Indira Gandhi, had returned back from office about 12 Noon. That day and the night he remained in the house and in our area, there was no disturbance.

2.                  On 1-11-84 at 7:30 AM, my husband and my son Kanwal Singh aged 17 years were taking tea within the compound wall of the house, when two persons passed in front of our house, abusing the Sikhs and were saying, “No Sardar should be spared. Saying this and abusing Sikhs they passed beyond our gate. My husband and my son both came inside the house.

3.                  About 10:00 AM, a mob of about one thousand people came from the backside of the house and they started throwing stones at our house. They also had lathis and iron rods in their hands. One or two persons had jerricans in their hands, which contained kerosene oil. They were shouting, ‘Long live Indira Gandhi. Kill the Sikh traitors.’ At that time no policeman was seen.

4.                  I told my son that the situation did not seem well. He went to the house of his neighbours. Afterwards, my husband also went to the house of the neighbour and from there, father and the son both ran away to save their lives. While running they were hit by stones and passing through the jungle, they went into the flat of our known person Subedar Tarsem Singh in the army colony.

5.                  In the mob there were some persons whom I recognize. My husband and son had also seen the mob and they were surprised to see them in the mob. Jagdish Mital and Mohinder Puri, were instigating the mob and saying “Loot the houses of the Sikhs and burn them. They are all traitors.” Among them were Jagdish Mittal’s son Ashwani, Amit Sharma, Joginder Puri, Kanwal’s son Bhiru, Budh Ram, Malik, betel seller, Bhim of the double storey houses and his father, Lekh Raj, Nachhattar Singh, Sardara, Dholl, Paintoo Som Nath and his son, Satpal, Prem Masih etc. They were all with the mob, looting the goods, burning, breaking the walls and beating the Sikh. I begged the mob to spare us but they tore my clothes and looted our household goods. The bigger and heavier goods which they could not carry were thrown out of the house and burnt. I was present there and seeing all this.

6.                  When the mob was very much excited, I also ran and passing through the jugnle, reached the flat of Subedar Tarsem Singh in the multi-storeyed flats. There I met my husband and my son.

7.                  We stayed there from 1-11-84 to 4-11-84 and in the evening of 4-11-84 we reached Sadar Bazar Gurdwara Relief Camp, from where after two months we went to Hari Nagar Camp.

8.       The loss of goods of our house which were looted and burnt is at Rs.70,000/-. My husband lodged a complaint in the Cantt. Police Station on 6-11-84, but Police Station people stamped the report but did not enter it in the Police Station records.

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