Anti-Sikh Riot: For Nirpreet Kaur, the memory of losing her father during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots remains a haunting, indelible part of her life. Now 56 years old, Nirpreet has spent decades not just mourning her father’s brutal death, but actively seeking justice for him and countless others who were victims of those violent days.
The riots, which erupted across India following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards, claimed the lives of over 3,000 Sikhs. In Delhi alone, entire families were torn apart, and lives were shattered beyond repair. Among the many accused of inciting the violence was Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, now 80, who has long been associated with the deaths of three Sikh men at the Gurdwara Pul Bangash in Delhi.
For decades, the judicial system seemed to have moved on from these riots, but for victims like Nirpreet, the wounds were still open. When the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a closure report in 2007, stating that no sufficient evidence could be found against Tytler, it was a blow to many.
Multiple protests ensued, but the court declared it would only accept a petition from a direct family member of one of the victims. At the time, two families of the three men who died at the Gurdwara Pul Bangash couldn’t be located. One family, however, would soon come forward, thanks to the determined efforts of Nirpreet.
The Search for Lakhwinder Kaur
Nirpreet Kaur, who lost her father in the riots, knew that closure without a trial was unacceptable. She had been working closely with senior advocate H S Phoolka since 2006, and when the closure report came in, she took it upon herself to find Lakhwinder Kaur, the widow of Badal Singh, one of the three men who perished at the gurdwara.
“I couldn’t stand the thought of the case being shut without even going to trial,” Nirpreet recalls. So, with little to go on, she began her search, heading to the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) near Azad Market. She knew that many victims had approached the SDM’s office for compensation after the riots, and she hoped to find some record of Lakhwinder there. In less than 24 hours, she had traced a ‘Lokinder Kaur’ to an address in Tilak Vihar’s Widow Colony, a settlement built for families of riot victims.
When Nirpreet found Lakhwinder, who was then 58, the two women shared an emotional moment. Lakhwinder burst into tears upon hearing that a case was still open. “I didn’t even know that a case had been filed before I met her,” Lakhwinder said. She had been away in Dehradun with her child the day her husband was murdered in Delhi, and her life had been full of hardship since. After losing her husband, Lakhwinder was driven out of her marital home by her in-laws and left to fend for herself.
Reopening the Case
A day after finding Lakhwinder, the two women went to the chamber of H S Phoolka, who had been tirelessly fighting for justice for the riot victims. Phoolka reassured Lakhwinder, telling her to think of him as a brother, and encouraged her to file a protest petition. Her courage and decision to do so eventually led to the reopening of the case in December 2007. Despite two more closure reports filed by the CBI between 2008 and 2015, both were rejected by the court, largely due to Lakhwinder’s protest.
“It is only because of her protest that the court rejected the closure reports,” Phoolka explained, adding that Lakhwinder faced significant pressure but never gave up. After 2015, the court began monitoring the investigation closely, requiring a status report from the CBI every two months. Finally, after years of investigations, fresh evidence came to light in 2023.
The CBI announced that they had corroborated Tytler’s voice in a speech he had made 39 years ago, allegedly connecting him to the events. This revelation led to the charges against Tytler being framed in August 2024 under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder and abetment.
For Lakhwinder, this progress brought a bittersweet sense of closure. “At least the system remembered us after 40 years,” she said. Yet, her journey after the riots had been nothing short of harrowing. “My life became a living hell after 1984. It is extremely difficult for a widow to survive in Indian society. Only I know how I raised my children.”
A Lifetime of Struggle
Nirpreet’s path to justice was equally tumultuous. Watching her father burn to death in Delhi’s Raj Nagar locality had a profound impact on her. Just 16 at the time, she joined the All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) shortly after and eventually became its president. Angry and disillusioned by the government’s handling of the riots, Nirpreet felt compelled to seek revenge for her father’s death. This decision led to her being jailed under the draconian Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) from 1988 to 1996.
After her release, Nirpreet rebuilt her life. She started two businesses and an orphanage in Chandigarh, and she used her resources to help other victims of the riots. Many families she helped financially credit her with keeping them afloat in tough times. Her desire to see justice served never wavered, and she continued working closely with Phoolka to track down victims and witnesses over the years. “When everyone else failed, I was handed over the difficult tasks,” she said.
The Road Ahead
While the framing of charges against Jagdish Tytler offers a glimmer of hope, both Nirpreet and Lakhwinder remain cautious. “We are scared that a stay will be granted to him,” Nirpreet admitted. The legal battles are far from over, and the scars of 1984 still run deep. However, their relentless pursuit of justice has shown that even when the system seems to forget, individuals like Nirpreet and Lakhwinder can make a difference.
Reflecting on her long fight, Nirpreet said, “Agar koi chaahe, to sab kuch mumkin ho sakta hai. Mann me chaahat honi chahiye (If one truly wills, everything becomes possible… you must have a desire in your heart).”
For these two women, that willpower has kept their fight for justice alive, even 40 years after the riots. Their story is a testament to the strength of human resilience, a reminder that the quest for justice can transcend time, and that no system, no matter how flawed, can suppress the spirit of those determined to fight for what is right.