1984 anti-Sikh riots: Yashpal Singh gets death, Naresh Sherawat jailed for life


New Delhi, Nov 20(PTI): A Delhi court on Tuesday awarded death sentence to Yashpal Singh and life imprisonment to Naresh Sherawat, both convicted in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The duo were convicted for killing two members of the Sikh community.

The special investigation team (SIT) had sought death penalty for the two convicts. According to the SIT, there act was a part of a “genocide” against members of a particular community and fell under the rarest of rare category of cases.

They were convicted of killing Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh in Mahipalpur area of South Delhi during the riots.

Their conviction is the first in the anti-Sikh riots cases reopened by the SIT, which was set up in 2015. Notably, the Delhi Police had closed the case in 1994 for want of evidence.

During the proceedings, the public prosecutor for SIT Surinder Mohit Singh had said that it was "brutal murder of two innocent young persons aged around 25 each. It was a planned murder since the accused were carrying kerosene oil, sticks etc."

It was not the only incident in Delhi and around 3,000 people were killed, he added.

"People from only one community were targeted. It was a genocide. The incidents had an international effect and it took 34 years to get justice. A signal should go to the society to deter them from committing such horrible crimes. This is rarest of rare case which calls for death penalty," Singh had said.

However, the demand was opposed by advocate OP Sharma, appearing for the convicts, who said that the attack was not deliberate or planned but a sudden flare up.

"The Prime Minister of the country was shot dead by her own bodyguards belonging to a particular community. What could be more wrong than that? She was warned and suggested to change her guards. Still she kept them. But she was betrayed and brutally killed. The present case was a sudden flare up. There was no pre-planning," the defence counsel said.

His submission was opposed by senior advocate H S Phoolka, who appeared for the victims.

"Every Sikh condemned the act of killing of the Prime Minister. It was tragic. But does that mean that Sikhs be killed? Does that give licence to kill?

"Father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was killed by Nathuram Godse. But did anything of that short happened against anyone? The accused were leading the mob. The whole world is watching that how we treat such cases," Phoolka had said.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    Anti Sikh riots in 1984 was a miniscule event compared to 2002 Godhra massacre. Godhra massacre was pre planned, cold blooded and with the full support of state govt. While Sikh riots of 1984 were unplanned and at the spur of the moment in retaliation to the assassination of their leader against a particular community. It's same as Christians were massacred intentionally, in cold blood with party support in 2008 in Orissa by BJP on false allegations that Christians killed BJP leader but actually it was Maoists who killed thier leader and BJP was aware of that.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Pai, Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    Swamy, Mangalore
    No train burning in Godhra, no RIOTS.
    You can keep blaming the then state govt

    DisAgree [5] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    Because you are a blind Bhakth you can't be a witness. You will know by the sound and smell in 2019 till then use Burnol, Hajmola and reserve a spot in a rat hole because many rats are jumping out from BJP wrecked ship.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Raghavendra M K, Mumbai Maharashtra

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    train burning was reaction of babris masji demolition and killing 2000 people in communal riots.

    DisAgree [2] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    Are you ashamed of your own evil actions and coolly want to disown them????... No chance, it will haunt you to your grave.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    Better Late than Never ...

    DisAgree Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dr Mohan Prabhu, LL.D, QC, Mangalore (Kankanady)/Ottawa, Canada

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    Murder is murder; there is no limitation of time in bringing murderers to justice, nor is there in regard to any other crimes, serious or not. The real problem lies in the intent to kill to constitute murder, otherwise it is "killing" (or, as termed in criminal law, "manslaughter". There does not appear to be a real argument on this aspect of the crime, and it is not clear whether the court took it into account before awarding death penalty.
    Despite all this, I hope that Parliament will reconsider the whole aspect of death penalty which, as a criminal lawyer and humanist, I find most cruel and inhumane and should be abolished as is done in many civilized nations (with few exceptions including the US, India and many Islamic nations). In the instant case, the sentence has come after 34 years of the actual crime, and that should have been a consideration which the court did not take into account. Perhaps the SC will redress.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • The Alpha, Bangalore

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    Good news and bad news together for BJP?

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Moshu, Mangaluru

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    Its time to provide justice to Gujarat 2002 victims where more than 2000 innocents were brutally slaughtered and burnt to death. Wombs of pregnant women were slit without mercy.
    The Supreme Court on Monday said it would hear on November 26 the plea of Zakia Jafri challenging the clean chit given by a Special Investigating Team to Narendra Modi, who was then Gujarat Chief Minister,...
    Lets wait for justice to be prevailed...

    DisAgree [11] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • Pai, Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    Moshu, Mangaluru
    People who burnt alive 59 innocent Hindus on train should be hanged too

    DisAgree [11] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Moshu, mangaluru

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    @Pai
    FYI, Gujarat High Court already sentenced of 11 accused to life imprisonment and all 31 accused found guilty were given life imprisonment but the victims of aftermath yet to get justice. Dont you think it sounds unfair.

    Although Godhra train burning incident was still a mystery that who lit the fire but many hindu experts and intellectuals still believe that the fire was lit from inside the train and a step forward they allege it was a pre-planned political stunt by BJP to regain power in Gujarat...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sahil, Mangaluru

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    3+ Decades?

    DisAgree [1] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Avil Dev, Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    All this while for the past 3 decades this case was swept under the carpet by the barmaid led Congress.
    Now its come out, good going. but too late.

    DisAgree [23] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Cds, Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 20 2018

    What about Gujarat Riots under Modi? Do you have anything to say.
    Muslims will never forget this.
    Both Sikhs and Muslims should get justice.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse


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