Shri Swarn Singh son of Lal Singh, Aged 65 years, Sarpanch of Jafferwal village: 4.5.1985

At first he was rounded up by the military on 17.6.1984 from his house and sent to Torture Centre (Interrogation Centre) Government College, Gurdaspur. He was tortured there mercilessly, he was blind- folded and his hands tied behind his back. He could not identify who were beating him. There was no case and no warrant of arrest and he was not produced in any court. He was released after two days: Meanwhile Akali Dal had given a call to liberate premises of Golden Temple and Morcha had to be started from 17.7.1 984 for this purpose. There were large number of arrests on the eve of this and Shri Swarn Singh was also arrested on 17.7.1984 under section 107/151 IPC by the police and he was kept in the Gurdaspur Jail for 15 days and then bailed out. Shri Swarn Singh was again arrested on 29 August 1984 by the Dharwal police for 15 days and then bailed out after four days in unlawful custody. After 4 days he was produced before the court u/s 107/151. Court released him because he was already being prosecuted u/s 107/151 and this case was still pending.

Thereafter he was again arrested on 4th September 1984 in a bus killing case. Houses of 40 families were raided by the army and almost all the residents in the village used to sleep outside the village to save them from the military harassment. Military used to gherao the village. The population of the village is about 6000.

He was again arrested on 28.3.1 985 by CIA staff Batala and tortured in the same manner: (1) Ghotna(2) Belna (3) 3rd method was that he would be made to lie down on one side and the wood (Beina) would be kept under his leg and would be rolled on one leg, then he would be made to lie on another side and the same wood would be rolled again on the other leg. This process would be repeated for some time. 4th method was that the both legs would be torn apart and other men would sit behind the back. Backbone/spine can be fractured in this process. No treatment is given. Tissues are swollen and urines give blood and pus. Man becomes impotent. This treatment is meted out to all.

Fifth method was Roud: Man is made to stand in attention and his hands tied behind neck on the back. He is made to stand for 3 to 3 half hours and he cannot stand it and his whole sweat from his body goes out and man cries for water.

Sixth method: Man is made to stand upright, his hands tied behind and a rod is inserted in the tied hands and the man is hung in the door through the door. Joginder Singh SI (a Sikh officer) did this. All the eight officers who tortured were Sikhs. They did this under orders from Suresh Arora, ASP, Batala.

The seventh method is that there used to be one feet high wood and about 7 to 8 men’s feet were put on it in a row and another similar wood would be kept over the feet and thus both the woods would be locked having men’s feet inside it and these men would be kept there lied down. This wood was full of bugs who would continue to bite and it’ was very difficult to sleep.

Swam Singh was first taken to Dera Baba Nanak because they were afraid of the High Court and thought that Harbans Singh who was doing his Pairvi might go to High Court. Kuldeep Singh and Jarnail Singh were also taken along with him. There was no FIR against them and they were never produced in any court. They were in unlawful custody from 28.3.1985 to 5.4.1985. Water was not given to them.

During interrogation following question used to be asked: “You have fire arms in possession.”