The news of burning of sacred “Birs” of Guru Granth Sahib in Guru Arjun Dev Gurdwara in Guru Nanak Pura mohalla, of Nakodar in Jalandhar District spread like wild fire on February 2, 1986. There was a spontaneous strike to protest against the desecration of the holy granth in the town that day.

On February 3, 1986, lawyers stayed away from Courts and students abstained from educational institutions. On a call by the Akali Dals’ a protest march was organised jointly by the Sikh and Hindu communities. Citizens, including women and children participated in the procession. A hartal (strike) was observed in the town.

Shiv Sena plans march

The Punjab Hindu Shiv Sena wanted to take out a procession but the authorities thought it prudent to clamp curfew at 7 P.M. on February 3. Baba Joginder Singh and the Shiv Sena leader, Ramakant Jalota, arrived at Nakodar the same day but the Baba left the town at 5.30 P.M. The same night the police arrested 12 Sena activists who were violating curfew restrictions and moving around with unsheathed swords.

Earlier, on February 3, some Sikh youths staged a dharna (protest) outside the Police station and the Bus Stand demanding the arrest of local Shiv Sena leader Mr. Romesh Chopra alias Khan, a vegetable commission agent, who they alleged, was responsible for the fire. At about 4.00 p.m. a large number of villagers joined the youths and gheraoed (surrounded) the Police Station and demanded the arrest of the alleged arsonists.

The District Magistrate, Mr. S.C. Aggarwal and the Senior Superintendent of Police (S.S.P.), Mr. Izhar Alam, rushed to the town with Police reinforcements. There was tension in the town which ultimately led to firing by the Police on February 4, 1986, killing at least four persons and injuring many more, for which the Punjab Government announced a judicial enquiry. The All India Sikh Students Federation (A.I.S.S.F.) rejected the enquiry and called it as “a mere eyewash”. The Federation demanded registration of criminal cases against the Deputy Inspector General of Police (D.I.G.) and police officers responsible for killing the people. They denied the official version of “four deaths” and added that many more persons had died and over two dozen injured. The Federation observed “Black Day” on February 8, 1986, and asked the Chief Minister to resign on the ground of his failure to: control the police force which had killed “innocent Sikh youths”.

Officers shifted, transferred

In the meantime, the Punjab Government announced the suspension of Mr. Surjit Singh, Superintendent of Police (Detective), and Mr.Gopal Singh Ghuman, Deputy Superintendent of Police (D.S.P.) Nakodar while Mr. Harinderpal Singh, Inspector Police and Mr. Izhar Alam were transferred. Mr. Balwant Singh, Finance Minister of Punjab, observed that the police had behaved “as during Congress (1) rule”.

Mr. Balwant Singh promised that the culprits responsible for burning the “Birs” of the holy granth would be brought to book, no matter to which community or religion they belonged. Earlier, Jathedar Harcharan Singh Mahalon, Mr. Kuldip Singh Wadala and Mr. Surjit Singh Minhas sat in dharna in front of the Police Station demanding the arrest of the culprits and a judicial inquiry into the police firing. The situation in Shahkot became tense when some Shiv Sena workers, too, gathered near the Police Station. The police, however, managed to disperse them.

On February 6, the Punjab Government transferred the D.I.G., Mr. G.S. Bhullar, as a sequel to the incidents at Nakodar. Curfew continued in the town but all the persons who had been arrested for violation of the curfew were released. The Deputy Commissioner, S.S. Aggarwal, declared that cases against 20 Sikh youths under Section 307 I.P.C. (Indian Penal Code) were being withdrawn. However, Mr. R.K.Jalota and Mr. S.K. Sarwal of Shiv Sena welcomed the judicial enquiry and condemned the transfer of Mr. Alam and three other Police officers and demanded suspension of the Sub Divisional Magistrate (S.D.M.), Nakodar, Mr Surjit Singh Rajput. They held him responsible for the disturbances in the town.

The Sharomani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.) constituted a two member committee comprising Mr. Kabal Singh, Senior Vice President, and Mr. Kuldip Singh Wadala, an Akali M.L.A. from Nakodar, to enquire into the incident. They concluded that the Police Officers were responsible for mishandling the situation and they should be punished. They said, it was a 2ct of “Anti-Panthic” forces which wanted to create a gulf between Hindus and the Sikhs.

Dr. Baldev Parkash, President Punjab Bhartiya Janata Party (B.J.P.), said in a statement, that the burning of “Birs” of Guru Granth Sahib was a sacrilegious act and the culprits should be punished. Whosoever did it, had committed a grave offence to disrupt the peace and communal harmony. He further warned the people to beware of the forces that wanted to jeopardize the communal amity in the State.

Two views on fire

Many people thought that the fire incident was accidental. However, many others were of the view that it was the handiwork of mischievous elements. ‘he Punjab Human Rights Organisation constituted a 5-member Sub-Committee headed by Mr. Dev Raj Sharma, Advocate, to enquire into the circumstances leading to the incident as well as its aftermath. Other members were Mr. Gurbhajan Singh Gill, (Retd. D.S.P.), Mr. H.L. Sethi, Advocate, Mr. D.S. Gill, Advocate, and Mr. Bhalinder Singh, Advocate.

The Committee visited Nakodar and went to the Gurdwara where the five sacred “Birs” were burnt. It also visited other places including Kapurthala Road area where the Police had resorted to the firing; the Saw Mill of Natha Singh wherein one person was alleged to have been killed; the residence of Mr. Pritu, a Balmiki from where two dead bodies of Sikhs were discovered and the Sherpur Bridge and village including a few farm houses; where the police allegedly beat up and arrested the villagers from their homes. The team also met the S.D.M., the Electricity Board Staff, advocates and many other local citizens.

I.B. man visits Nakodar

The Committee examined Mr. Sukhdev Singh Sandhu, Mr. Ravinder Singh, Mr. Sudarshan Singh Bains, Mr. Varinderpal Singh and Mr. C.J. Jain, Advocates; Mr. Romesh Chopra alias Khan, Mr. Mohan Singh Sectional Officer(SO) of the Punjab Works Department( P.W.D.), Mr. Swarn Singh, Mr. Tejinder Singh, Mr. Jatinder Singh, Mr. Gurinder Singh, Mr. Pritu Balmiki, Mr. Bachitar Singh, Mr. Mohinder Singh, Mr. Sohan Singh, Bhai Sukhchain Singh Granthi, Mr. Simratpal Singh, Mrs. Gurdip Kaur wife of the Granthi, Mr. Prem Sagar, Municipal Commissioner, Piara Singh, Ex-President Gurdwara and Mr. Vijay Nayar of the Shiv Sena. Observations of several other persons who did not want to disclose their identity were also recorded.

A witness claimed that on February 2, he saw Mr. Umrao Singh, a Congress (1) leader along with Mr. Ranjit Singh Bhinder, a D.S.P. of Intelligence Bureau(|.B), getting down from a jeep. They entered the house of Pundit Narinder Nath Bhutara alias “Nindo”. Pundit Nindo is said to be a patron of the Shiv Sena and a close confidant of Mr. Darbara Singh, the former Chief Minister of Punjab. Mr Nindo had also acted as Election in-charge of Mr. Darbara Singh in the past. After Mr. Umrao Singh and the |.B. man left the town the Shiv Sena workers from outside started reaching the town.

According to Mr. Mohan Singh,( S.O., P.W.D.), when the news of the influx of Sena workers reached the villages, about 40 50 persons reached the outskirts of Nakodar where the D.S.P. of Nakodar, Mr. Gopal Singh Ghuman advised them to go back . He told them that they could not be allowed to go inside the town due to curfew restrictions and assured them that the Gurdwaras were safe. Upon which they returned to their homes.

Mr. Ramesh Chopra alias Khan admitted that he was regarded as a prime suspect from the very first day as he had been informed by Mr. Prem Sagar, the Municipal Commissioner( M.C.) the same evening. He added that the Sikhs had given an ultimatum to the police to arrest him by 6.00 p.m. on February 3. He had therefore, collected Shiv Sena activists in Mohalla Tandona and took out a procession at 6.30 p.m. in a show of his strength while raising inflammatory slogans, “Jai Shiv Shakti, Jai Trishul”. The administration imposed curfew restrictions immediately.

Mr Romesh Chopra denied that Mr. R.K. Jalota had stayed with Pundit N.N. Bhutara, he did not allow Bhutara’s entry into the Mandir Devi Talab, the headquarters of the Shiv Sena and that no activists from outside, except Jalota and Sarwal, had entered the town. He further denied his hand in the fire incident and said that he held the Holy Granth in reverence. He alleged that Mr. Jaswant Singh, Jathedar Iqbal Singh, and Mr. Ravinder Singh, Advocate, instigated the villagers against him.

On the other hand, Mr. Ravinder Singh, Advocate, alleged that the Sikhs suspected Mr. Chopra to be a culprit and the authorities had connived with the culprits.

Accusing finger at Darbara-Balwant

A few senior Hindu Advocates of the Nakodar Bar Association revealed that on the night of February 7, 1986, a similar incident took place in the Shankar village Gurdwara where the culprit had been allegedly captured red-handed and handed over to the Police. He was said to be a Hindu from U.P. in the garb of Sikh and was let off. Mr. Umrao Singh and Mr. Swaran Singh belong to this village. Similar incidents took place in the Mandirs of Sarinh village and Nakodar. According to them, this type of activity could be the handiwork of none else than those who were active on the eve of operation “Blue Star”.

But some Sikh advocates of the Nakodar Bar, on the other hand, blamed Mr. Balwant Singh for all the trouble at Nakodar.

II

THE GURDWARA INCIDENT

Gurdwara, Guru Arjun Dev ji, is centrally located in Guru Nanakpura mohalla of Nakodar where the five “Birs” of Guru Granth Sahib were burnt due to fire in the forenoon of February 2. The Gurdwara is looked after by Granthi, Bhai Sukhchain Singh, who lives on the Gurdwara premises along with his family.

The Gurdwara has two gates, one facing the Gurdwara Hall and the other towards the left side of the Hall. The residence of the Granthi is on the right side of the main gate while its kitchen is on the left side of the gate. The “Sukhasan” room is on the right side of the half opening in the verandah which connects the room with the side gate through a passage behind the Hall. The “Sukhasan” room is not visible from inside the kitchen, the wall being windowless. If any person comes through the side gate, uses the rear passage and enters the “Sukhasan” room, causes mischief and returns, he cannot be seen either from the residence or from the kitchen.

No dhoop or jyoti

The granthi opens (Parkash) one “bir” of the Holy granth on the “Diwan” inside the “Sukhasan” room at 5.30 a.m. daily, while four “birs” in closed position (Sukhasan) are kept on the Niwar bed in the room. This “parkash” is done for devotees who want the recitation individually. Thereafter, the Granthi opens two “birs” in the main hall for the routine recitation. No “Dhoop” or “Jyoti” is inside that “Sukhasan” room.

On the day of occurrence, February 2, 1986, Bhai Sukhchain Singh conducted his routine duties and left the Gurdwara to perform “Anand Karaj” (Marriage ceremony) at the residence of one Sadhu Singh on the Noormahal Road. According to the Granthi, he placed the Gurdwara keys inside the “Sukhasan” room at 8.45 a.m. as usual and left the place.

Mrs. Gurmit Kaur, a widow and a devotee of Guru Nanakpura mohalla who lives close to the Gurdwara, was seen cleaning the “Sukhasan” Room at 9.15 a.m. by many devotees of the locality. It was her routine work.

At about 9.45 a.m. Smt. Gurdip Kaur, wife of the Granthi, while going towards the kitchen heard cracking of glass panes and saw flames leaping out of the window of the “Sukhasan” Room. She ran outside and raised the alarm. Local residents rushed to the spot and threw water to extinguish the fire.

The administration and the police was informed. The S.D.M., Mr. Surjit Singh Rajput, and the D.S.P., Mr. Gopal Singh Ghuman, reached and inspected the spot. By the time the Granthi, too, came back.

The “Bir” which lay on the Diwan and open on page 792, was largely burnt. The niwar bed became a skeleton whereas the Diwan was half burnt. The “Romalas” were also burnt. The room, windows and the door were damaged due to mounting flames of the fire. The mat flooring and cloth sheets were also burnt.

The persons and the officers present there, ruled out the possibility of any accident or negligence. Case F.I.R.(First Information Report) No. 50 dated 2.2.1986 under Section 295/439 IPC was registered at 10.35 a.m. in Police Station Nakodar at the instance of Smt. Gurdip Kaur.

Accident or negligence?

It was decided by the persons present at the Gurdwara including members of the Management Committee that the burnt “Birs” would be taken to Sri Goindwal Sahib for the last rites. But some Akali leaders including Mr. Ravinder Singh, Advocate and Jathedar Iqbal Singh advised against such a move. This decision contributed to the deterioration of the already tense situation.

At about 5.00 p.m the S.S.P Mohd Izhar Alam accompanied by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (A.D.C.), Mr. Darbara Singh “Guru”, inspected the spot and without any further enquiries concluded that the episode was accidental and the fire was caused due to negligence on the part of the Granthi. Most of the local citizens did not agree with this police version and demanded identification of and stern action against the guilty as it was a case of desecration of the Holy Granth Sahib. But the S.S.P. remained adamant on his stand. It resulted in flaring up of the already tense situation. By the nightfall, the news of burning the Holy Granth and the inaction of the police reached the surrounding villages.

“The Sub-Committee of the P.H.R.O., inspected the Gurdwara premises and 2xamined several residents of the Mohalla including Hindus.

The committee after careful inspection of the “Sukhasan” room and eliciting ‘he view of experts has reached the conclusion that the fire could not be the result of an accident as there was no short circuit, the electric wire and fuse vere intact. The committee also does not subscribe to the negligence theory 3ecause there was no “Dhoop” or “Jyoti” lit nor there was any candle. There was no failure in the supply of electricity that day. This conclusion is also warranted by the assertions of Mr. R.K. Gupta, in charge Sub-Division, 132 « V Station and Mr. Amolak Singh, Sub Divisional Officer( S.D.O.) of the Punjab State Electricity Board(PSEB), on the subject. According to them there was neither any cut in the supply of electricity nor was there any complaint regarding power failure from Guru Nanakpura mohalla on February 2, 1986.