Punjab Human Rights Organization has from time to time brought out investigative reports on atrocities and the reign of terror let loose by the Indian Security Forces and the police in Punjab the home land of the Sikhs. Tortures killing of Sikh youths in faked encounters molestation of Sikh women at the hands of the dehumanized police force and abductions have become the order of the day.
The report at hand is a detailed account of a few Sikh families agony. The incidents took place between 1986 and 1991. These bear testimony to the fact that the State can kill anybody on the pretext of “fighting terrorism” and that the Sikhs have no rights not even the right to live. The police can pick up any member of militants family harass torture or even eliminate him without attracting any provision of law for these crimes. They can keep in illegal custody women and sexually violate them. They are not guilty” for they are fighting “terrorism.”
The Ludhiana Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sumedh Saini in a press conference on Aug. 12, 1989 had claimed that Baldev Singh Ghudani and Kashmir Singh Nanowal were killed on the previous night in an encounter near Jhamat Drain Bridge when they ambushed a lice party led by Inspector Shiv Kumar Sharma of the CIA and Balbir Chand Tiwari Station House Officer (SHO) Dehlon and that one AK-47 rifle and one. 33 bore pistols had been recovered from the site.
Earlier a news item appeared in The Tribune on Aug.9 that the Khalistan Mukti Bahini General Baldev Singh Ghudani was arrested along with Kashmir Singh from Kalar Majri village near Amloh on Aug.7. The Punjab Human Rights Organization also issued an appeal on Aug.11 demanding production of the arrested Sikh activists in court. The appeal appeared in a section of the press.
After the story of the alleged encounter appeared in the press PHRO team including; Gurbhajan Singh Gill a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and advocate Mohinder Singh Grewal made a non-the-spot investigation of the matter They met several persons and some relatives of the deceased.
Gurdish Kaur sister of Kashmir Singh told the PHRO team that the police arrested both the youths on Aug.7 and thereafter their whereabouts were not disclosed. “I sent telegrams on Aug.9 to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Punjab Governor and to the PHRO seeking their intervention in the matter but to no avail” she said adding that her brother was ultimately killed by the police in custody
“On Aug.10 I also wrote letters to an advisor to Punjab Governor J.F Ribeiro and Sube Singh Inspector General (Complaints) Punjab urging them to spare the life of my only brother. And that too did not help” she waited.
Daring the investigation it was revealed that Kashmir Singh was arrested by the Khanna police from hear the city on Aug.6 while Baldev Singh was arrested the next evening from Kalar Majri near the Amloh town by the police Led by SP. (Operations) B.S. Gill. Baldev Singh was overpowered in full view of the public. He was then taken to Khanna police station and the two were ultimately transferred to CIA Ludhiana where they were subjected to severe torture. It was there the police officials decided to eliminate them.
According to an eye witness account the SHO Balbir Chand Tiwari along with his DSP was seen reconnoitering the place near Jhamat village drain at about 7:30 p.m on Aug.11 where they could stage an encounter to dispose of the two youths. “We heard noises and shots being fired around mid-night the same day” said the vile lagers when the team had met at Shamat village.
On Aug.12 that morning the police concocted a story (FIR No.15S dated 12.8.1989 at Dehlon police station) that Baldev Singh and Kashmir Singh were killed there in an armed clash with the Police party.
They were murdered on the night of Aug.11-12 while in police custody by the police party led by Inspector Shiv Kumar Sharmaand Sub Inspector Balbir Chand Tiwari. The encounter was stage managed they were killed in cold blood as they were already in the police custody from Aug.6-7 concluded the PHRO team.
It was also revealed before the team that Kashmir Singh who was village Gurdwara preacher earlier was picked up by the police and tortured humiliated and stripped of all his clothes in the presence of many inside the Khamanon police station.
“Being an Amritdhari (baptized) Sikh he could not withstand this humiliation and torture and left his home to join the underground political activities” said Gurdish Kaur I along with my pregnant sister Devinder Kaur was picked up by the police and taken to Machhiwara police station. They asked us to tell the whereabouts of our brother Kashmir Singh. AS we did not know both of us were violated by the policemen. And this assault caused Devinder Kaur to miscarry the three month baby she continued sobbingly.
She also handed over to the team a copy of the complaint addressed to J.F. Rebeiro advisor to the Punjab Governor which detailed of her family.
“Similarly the relative of Baldev Singh Ghudani were subjected to raids harassment torture and humiliation by the police according to Baldey Singh’s brother Harbhajan Singh (34) and his wife Amarjit Kaur.
Harbhajan Singh informed the PHRO team that they left home in the wake of police raids arrest me “I along with my wife and two children remained almost underground for more than three years prior to the killing of Baldev Singh Baldev Singh’s wife Surjit Kaur along with her two children had also shifted somewhere in Faridkot district” said Harbhajan Singh adding that the Police having failed to apprehend Baldev Singh who went underground in January 1986 to join the armed struggle for Khalistan picked me up so many times from my village and kept in Payal Sangrur Malerkotla Ladha Kothi Amargarh Lohatwadi and Bahadurgarh police stations for days and weeks where I was maltreated and tortured to know the whereabouts of Baldev Singh.
He further added that he was taken out by police on June 211986 to “Kill” him in an encounter but he was spared and released on June 23, 1986 on the condition that he should arrange Baldev Singh’s surrender. After that he and his family including Baldev Singh’s wife and children left home.
According to Amarjit Kaur the police continued raiding their house abuse her and her sister Surjit Kaur including children while her husband Harbhajan Singh was in police custody.” They threatened us that my husband will be killed by them in case we failed to surrender Baldev Singh” she said and added that all of them left home on June 24, 1986 and thereafter lived with relatives or friends because of the terror let loose on them and the threatened elimination by the police.
The police also continued raiding and harassing Amarjit Kaur’s other married sisters and their husbands. Her youngest sister Surinder Kaurs husband Jamail Singh was arrested and tortured by the Samrala police many times. Similarly Daljit Kaurs husband Upkar Singh was falsely charged for harboring Baldev Singh and others by the Khamanon police. in absence from the village our relative Kaur Singh who looked after our house and lands was also arrested and kept for 15 days in the Payal police station by Inspector Sant Kumar He was beaten up to find the whereabouts of Baldev Singh and Harbhajan Singh my husband” added Amarjit Kaur.
After the death of Baldev Singh they shifted to their village but once again Harbhajan Singh was picked up by the Payal police on Sept.21989 and was shifted to CIA staff Ludhiana where he was tortured for three days and was asked to help apprehend Baldev Singh’s companions.
After coming out of the police custody Harbhajan Singh finally shifted from the village in September 1989. Surjit Kaur along with her two children had permanently shifted elsewhere to avoid police harassment. Harbhajan Singh remained nearly underground till he left India in 1991 revealed his wife Amarjit Kaur to the PHRO.
Yet another victim in this connection was Jathedar Takhat Singh (60) a resident of Ludhiana who was arrested by the CIA staff Ludhiana on September 1198 by a police party led by Inspector Shiv Kumar Sharma. In a complaint to the Director General of Police (DGP) KPS Gill dated Oct.21, 989 Takhat Singh described his tale of woe that on the orders of the SSP Sumesh Saini he was stripped naked in presence of his son Inder Mohan Singh who was also picked up along with him and beaten with fists Saini and Shiv Kumar accused him of speaking against the police at the bhog ceremony of a slain militant Charanjit Singh Channi He was beaten ruthlessly.
He was then taken to another room in the CIA staff where a Sikh youth was being tortured on the floor. Saini told Takhat Singh that the youth was Nishan Singh Bhaini alias Maghar Singh of the “Khalistan Mukti Bahini and asked him to identify him. He refused as he did not know him. Takhat Singh was then taken to another room where Saini threatened to detain his wife and daughters and subject them to the same treatment.
On the intervention of the local leaders Takhat Singh and his son were released on Sept.3. He was treated at the civil hospital for contusions on his legs and chest. Shortly after his release he read in the newspaper that Nishan Singh Bhainia close associate of Baldev Singh Ghudani had been killed in an encounter near Khamanon on the night of Sept.3-4
Takhat Singh could not bear the physical torture and the shocking murder of Nishan Singh whom he had seen with the CIA staff in a semi-conscious condition due to brutal torture and Died on Oct.4, 1989
Hell was let loose on the family’s relatives and friends of the Sikh militants Baldev Singh Kashmir Singh and Nishan Singh. They were killed by the police in custody their relations were subjected to harassment maltreatment and molestation and their family friend and local Akali leader Takhat Singh was tortured and subjected to degrading treatment as a result he died.
These are not the only acts of state repression and brutality. There are hundreds of such cases in every district of Punjab if not in ever village. A cursory look at his report will give an idea about the real nature and the character of the Indian State today. You may arrive at your own conclusions on how the Indian state deals with mere dissenters and relatives of the Sikh activists. Democracy or rule of Jaw is a thing of the past in India’s.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 17, 1992
