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Seven Acquited in 1984 Sikh Massacres

By P.T.I.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Feb. 1, 2003

"A Delhi court has acquitted seven persons charged with looting and attempting to murder a Sikh during the 1984 riots which rocked the capital in the aftermath of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. Additional Sessions Judge Manju Goel acquitted accused Mamchand, Raj, Pappu, Hariprasad, Rajender, Ramchander and Dhaniram for want of evidence to link them to the charges. Police had filed the F.I.R. [first information report] in the case on the basis of a sworn statement given by one Surinder Kaur, a resident of Hari Nagar in South Delhi before the Justice Ranga Nath Mishra Commission. Kaur had alleged that the accused, who were part of a 200-strong mob, forced their way into the house on Nov. 1, 1984 and attacked her husband Harnam Singh."
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"However, Singh managed to escape, she said adding the mob also looted their house. Singh even identified the accused in court. However, during cross examination he contradicted the version he had given to police. Kaur stuck to her allegations in court but said she had not identified the members of the mob who had attacked Singh. She further said that her neighbour Ram Singh had told her the names of the mob members immediately after the incident. However, Ram Singh - who testified as a defence witness - denied that any of the accused were part of the mob. Observing that Harnam Singh had not mentioned the names of the accused for several years after the unfortunate incidents, the court said there was reason to disbelieve his version and acquitted all accused."
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