National Desk
30 October
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Decades after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984, thousands of Sikh victims are still awaiting justice for the brutal massacre that followed. According to the Nanavati Commission report, 2,733 Sikhs were killed in Delhi alone, with 587 FIRs filed. However, about 240 cases were closed by the police due to lack of evidence, while nearly 250 other cases led to acquittals.
Some progress has been made, such as in May 2023, when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed charges against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler for inciting violence outside Pul Bangash Gurdwara, where rioters set the shrine ablaze, killing three Sikhs. This case, reopened after being dismissed three times, is seen as a rare pursuit of accountability in Indian history. Senior advocate HS Phoolka represents several victims, tirelessly working toward justice.
Around 400 individuals have been convicted across 27 cases, including former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who is serving a life sentence for murder. An appeal against his sentence is pending in the Supreme Court, and Tytler’s appeal will be heard by the Delhi High Court on November 29.