1984 Sikh Genocide Case: Tytler Summoned, Survivors Receive Aid

On 23 Nov, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi issued summons to two former police officers, Dharam Chandrasekar and Ravi Sharma, to appear on 2 Dec as witnesses in INC leader Jagdish Tytler’s 1984 Sikh genocide case linked to the killings of three Sikhs at Gurdwara Pul Bangash, Delhi (SDW Vol 2, Issue 41, Story 7). The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed Judge Jitendra Singh that summons could not be served to prosecution witness Manmohan Kaur. The agency sought additional time to serve her the summons. On 12 Nov, the court concluded the cross-examination of Lakhvinder Kaur, widow of Badal Singh, a ragi (musician) at the Gurdwara who was killed during the genocide. The court framed charges of murder and other offenses against Tytler on 13 Sep, following a supplementary chargesheet filed by the CBI in May 2023. The chargesheet cites a witness stating that Tytler emerged from a white car on 1 Nov 1984 and instigated a mob against Sikhs, leading to the murders. In August 2023, Tytler was granted anticipatory bail on a personal bond of USD 1,184, with conditions including not leaving the country without permission. Meanwhile, on 21 Nov, ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena distributed job appointment letters to 47 survivors of the 1984 Sikh genocide during an event in the Tilak Vihar area of West Delhi. In a post on X, Saxena acknowledged that while the pain of losing loved ones in the violence cannot be alleviated, the wounds can be healed with sympathy and compassion.