States » NorthPosted at: Nov 1 2026 5:15PM


Punjab: 1984 anti-Sikh violence survivor Jagdish Kaur recalls family's killing, 42-year struggle

By Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Nov 1 (UNI) Forty-two years after losing her husband, son and three other relatives in the 1984 anti-Sikh violence, Jagdish Kaur, who moved from Delhi to Amritsar after the killings, said the memories of the attacks remain as painful as ever.
Kaur, a key witness in the case that led to the conviction of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, recalled how mobs attacked Sikh families in Delhi following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.
Her husband, Kehar Singh, and son Gurpreet Singh were killed when a mob attacked their home in Raj Nagar near Palam in southwest Delhi on November 1, 1984. Three of her cousins were also killed in the violence.
"My husband and my son were burnt alive before my eyes," Kaur said, recalling the attack that destroyed her family.
She said the attackers moved through residential areas, identifying Sikh households before setting homes on fire. Some local residents, including people familiar with the victims, allegedly helped the mobs locate Sikh families.
Kaur recalled that the attackers openly threatened to kill Sikhs and destroy their properties.
Thousands of Sikhs were killed in Delhi and other parts of the country in the violence that followed Gandhi's assassination by two of her Sikh bodyguards.
Kaur alleged that the authorities failed to protect the victims despite repeated appeals for help. She said she approached officials and security personnel but received little assistance.
After the killings, she moved to Amritsar in December 1984 with her four surviving children. She initially struggled to support the family, taking up small jobs before obtaining a permit to operate a minibus.
Earlier reports placed her residence in Amritsar's Darshan Avenue locality, where she rebuilt her life after leaving Delhi.
Kaur continued pursuing the case despite financial difficulties and threats. She alleged that attempts were made to persuade her to change her testimony or withdraw from the legal proceedings.
She claimed that offers ranging from Rs 2 crore to Rs 8 crore were made to discourage her from pursuing justice.
Kaur said she rejected the offers because she wanted those responsible for the killings to be punished.
Her testimony became important in the proceedings against Sajjan Kumar, who was accused of instigating mobs during the violence in Delhi's Raj Nagar area.
A trial court acquitted Kumar in April 2013, prompting the Central Bureau of Investigation and victims, including Kaur, to challenge the verdict.
On December 17, 2018, the Delhi High Court overturned Kumar's acquittal, convicted him and sentenced him to life imprisonment in the case involving the killing of five Sikhs.
The judgment came 34 years after the violence.
Kaur had earlier said that she would continue fighting for justice despite the years spent pursuing the case.
For the Amritsar-based survivor, the conviction brought punishment for a key accused but could not compensate for the loss of her family members or the hardships she endured while raising her children and pursuing the case.
UNI NB ATP SS
Tags: #Punjab: 1984 anti-Sikh violence survivor Jagdish Kaur recalls family's killing# 42-year struggle
More News

Panipat Police issue 332 challans, impound 31 vehicles in anti-pollution, drunk-driving drives

01 Nov 2026 | 5:55 PM

Panipat, Nov 1 (UNI) Panipat Police issued 332 challans and impounded 31 vehicles in two separate enforcement drives against polluting vehicles and drunk driving, officials said on Sunday.

see more..

UP: Ayodhya’s Ram temple complex to be illuminated with one lakh diyas during Deepotsav

01 Nov 2026 | 5:43 PM

Ayodhya, Nov 1 (UNI) The decade-long journey of Deepotsav in the holy city of Ayodhya is set to enter a new chapter of grandeur and divinity this year.

see more..

Karnataka Governor Sudha Yadav visits Rewari village, pays tribute to Kargil martyr husband

01 Nov 2026 | 5:34 PM

Rewari, Nov 1 (UNI) Karnataka Governor Sudha Yadav on Sunday visited her husband's native village Dhamlawas in Haryana's Rewari district for the first time since assuming office, paying tribute to her husband, BSF Deputy Commandant Sukhbir Singh Yadav, who was killed during the 1999 Kargil War.

see more..

Haryana: 5,319 kg Suspected unsafe paneer destroyed in Nuh raids, fabric whitener seized

01 Nov 2026 | 5:32 PM

Nuh, Nov 1 (UNI) Haryana authorities destroyed 5,319 kg of suspected unsafe paneer during late-night raids on six dairies in Nuh district, where food safety officials also found fabric whitener and a colour-removing chemical, the district administration said on Sunday.

see more..

Punjab man held for Rs 20 85 lakh Australia visa fraud

01 Nov 2026 | 5:26 PM

Yamunanagar, Nov 1 (UNI) Haryana Police have arrested a Punjab man for allegedly cheating a woman and her family of Rs 20.85 lakh by promising to arrange an Australian visa, a police official said on Sunday.

see more..