New Delhi: Chilling details of the 1984 Delhi Sikh riots have emerged in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet in anti-Sikh riots. The agency said it has come across evidence indicating that Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was part of the unlawful assembly committing rioting that had assembled near Gurudwara Pul Bangash violating the prohibitory orders, instigated, incited, provoked the mob to kill the Sikhs.
The chargesheet further stated that Jagdish Tytler on November 1, 1984, instigated the mob which resulted in Gurudwara Pul Bangash being set on fire by the mob and the killing of three persons belonging to the Sikh community and also promoted enmity between different religious groups.
According to the CBI, a female witness in this particular matter in her statement stated that on November 1, 1984, she was worried about the condition of the television shop her husband located in front of the Gurudwara Pul Bangash. She stepped outside her house to check the condition of her television shop as she was aware that the mob was only attacking Sikh males and women were spared. The said shop of her husband was situated in front of the Gurudwara Pul Bangash.
Also read: 1984 anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court summons Jagdish Tytler on August 5
She witnessed a mob looting her shop but she decided to return back as early as possible. “While on her way back. on the Main Road close to the Gurudwara Pul Bangash, she saw a white ambassador car from which accused Jagdish Tyler came out. Accused Jagdish Tytler instigated the mob to first kill Sikhs and then engage in looting. After seeing this, she returned to her house and thereafter took shelter in the house of her neighbour where she witnessed the bodies of Badal Singh and Gurcharan Singh (an employee of her husband, who had stayed at their house on the night of October 31 in 1984) being thrown from the roof of neighbour's house and then carried on wooden-cart along with tyres, and then these bodies were burnt using the tyres. She also saw the Gurudwara Pul Bangash being set on fire by the mob,” she said, according to the CBI.
The Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday accepted the bail bond of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the case of killings in the Pul Bangash area in 1984 during the anti-Sikh Riots. The Sessions Court of Rouse Avenue Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Jagdish Tytler in the case. While the proceeding was going on in the court, Members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) staged a sit-in protest outside the Court against its decision of granting bail to Tytler and raised slogans against him. Protesting members demanded the cancellation of bail granted to Jagdish Tytler and prosecution of him under severe sections of the Indian Penal Code. During the protest, a minor scuffle also broke out between members of the DSGMC and Delhi Police personnel outside the court after the entry gate of the courtroom was closed for security reasons. During the Court proceeding on Saturday, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vidhi Gupta Anand accepted the bail bond of Jagdish Tytler, who was granted anticipatory bail on Friday on one lac bail bond and like amount surety. Meanwhile, the Court also directed CBI to supply a charge sheet to Jagdish Tytler and listed the matter for scrutiny of a supplementary charge sheet against Jagdish Tytler. The next date of hearing is August 11, 2023. (With agency inputs)
