Kusum Lata Mittal Report
C H A P T E R – 5
N E W D E L H I D I S T R I C T
A. Shri B.K.Gupta, Deputy Commissioner of Police.
B. Shri V. Rajagopal, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police
C. Shri A.L. Chadha, Assistant Commissioner of Police
D. Smt. Y. Hazarika, Assistant Commissioner of Police.
5.1. New Delhi District had 2 Sub Divisions under its jurisdiction and 6 Police Stations. The two Sub Divisions were (i) Parliament Street Sub-Division and (ii) Chanakya puri Sub Division.
5.2. Shri A.L. Chadha, Assistant Commissioner of Police, supervised Parliament Street Sub Division and had under his charge the Police Stations of Parliament Street, Connaught Place and Mandir Marg.
5.3. Smt. Y. Hazarika was Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chanakyapuri Sub Division, which had under its jurisdiction 3 Police Stations, viz., Chanakyapuri, Tilak Marg and Tughlaq Road.
5.4. New Delhi District covers Rashtrapati Bhavan and Central Vista, many Government Officers, Mandi House, shopping complex in Connaught Place, Jan path, the furniture Complex on Panchkuian Road and the residences of the Union Ministers and foreign Embassies. During the 1984 riots, out of the 6 police Stations, 3 Police Stations Tilak Marg, Tughlaq Road and Chanakya Puri were not affected very much. However, Parliament Street, Connaught Place and Mandir Marg Police Stations were affected to some extent.
5.5. The Deputy Commissioner of Police Shri B.K. Gupta was in charge of the police arrangements at Teen Murti House where body of the late Prime Minister was kept in state for 3 days before cremation. He was functioning under the overall supervision of Shri Gautam Kaul, Additional Commissioner of Police, and New Delhi Range.
5.6. There was heavy deployment of police and ‘Para Military Forces’ in New Delhi District on 1.11.84, especially near Teen Murti House and hotels where foreign dignitaries were to stay. In spite of these arrangements, however, incidents of violence started occurring in various areas.
5.7. Some incidents of arson and loot took place in New Delhi District on 31st October 1984; Vehicles on Prithvi Raj Road near Aurobindo Chowk were set ablaze and two others damaged. Some shops in Khan Market and Prithvi Raj Market in the jurisdiction of P.S. Tughlaq Road were also looted. The car of Jathedar Rachhpal Singh was attacked and 2 occupants were injured. Some other minor incidents also took place. (Inder Mohan 2774), Ashok Jaitly (2512) and Jaya jaitly (2702).
5.8. Some incidents of taxis being burnt outside Mohan Singh Place and on Jan path and other places were also reported. Marina Hotel Complex and some shops in Connaught Place and Panchkuian Road were set on fire by the miscreants.
5.9. The most serious incident, however, was in Rakab Ganj Gurudwara. At about 12 noon on 1.11.84, a crowd of a thousand returning from Teen Murti House surrounded Gurudwara Rakab Ganj from Church Road and Pandit Pant Marg. There was heavy brick batting and the mob was excited. There was a rumour that some Hindus had been dragged into the Gurudwara and burnt alive. This made the mob uncontrollable and they tried to scale the walls of the Gurudwara from the Central Secretariat side. The occupants of the Gurudwara feeling threatened started firing from inside and the police/CRPF also opened fire. In this incident some 4 people lost their lives. The Commissioner of police rushed to the spot and it was only when he jumped into the Gurudwara compound along with the DCP (HQ) and Dy. S.P., CRPF and brought the 3 Hindu servants and their families from inside the Gurudwara and assured the crowd that no Hindu had been killed, that the situation could be brought under control. According to Shri Gautam Kaul, Addl. C.P. who also arrived later, Shri Kamal Nath, Member of Parliament, was keeping the crowd under control while the Police was inside and ascertaining the facts. According to Shri Munish Sanjay Suri (2736), the Addl. Commissioner of police was a passive spectator to the mob of about 4,000 being led by Shri Kamal Nath, MP, and a political leader. However, it is fortunate that the trouble was contained without further loss of life and property.
5.10. There was also another serious incident of the killing of an aged Sikh who had taken shelter in the house of Shri Ram Bilas Paswan, M.P., on Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road. This incident has been narrated by Shri Ram Bilas Paswan, M.P. (2644). According to him, efforts to call the police did not succeed and the crowd burnt the garage in which the Sikh had taken shelter. This District accounted for about half a dozen deaths during the riots.
5.11. The officers of New Delhi District from DCP down ward were mostly deployed at Teen Murti House. However, since the area consisted of VIPs whose houses were properly guarded and Government offices and Government residential colonies, there were fewer incidents in this District.
5.12. The Police officers of this District generally worked in a responsible manner and attended to the calls efficiently. No specific case of negligence or dereliction of duty has come to light.
RECOMMENDATION
It can be stated that on the whole, Shri Gupta and his team of officers worked conscientiously and discharged their duties effectively. Their efforts to maintain law and order in those difficult days is commendable.