Chandigarh: A commission that was formed to investigate 1984 Sikh massacre at Hondh Chillar in Haryana has reportedly recommended that an amount of Rs 20 lakh be paid over and above any amount that has been paid to the next of kin of those who had died in the Hondh Chillar massacre.
The massacre was part of the 1984 Sikh genocide wherein 32 Sikhs residing in Hondh Chillar village near Rewari were brutally massacred in an organised manner. The massacre remained hidden till 2011 when the site was re-discovered in the year 2011 following which the government constituted the Commission headed by Justice T P Garg to prepare a report on the issue.
The commission completed its inquiry and submitted a report in March this year to the government. Apart from payment of an amount of Rs 20 lakh to next of kin of 31 victims, the Commission recommended that Rs 25 lakh be paid to widow of army personnel Inderjit Singh who died in the village.
Justice T. K. Garg along with Sikh genocide 1984 survivors and others outside the Gurudawara Sahib of ruined Sikh village Hondh Chillar, that was destroyed during the hondh massacre in November 1984. [File Photo – July 26, 2012]
The Commission in the report has stated that during the course of investigation, the houses in the village were found to be in a dilapidated condition, completely burnt, damaged, demolished and there was no trace of human life. A total of 80 petitioners in their respective petitions had claimed an amount of Rs 70 lakh for each death, Rs 50 lakh to Rs1 crore for each property lost and Rs 25 lakh to Rs 1 crore for each injured as compensation in terms of money. Of these, 19 petitioners are survivors.
The petitioners, during hearings before the commission, stated that they could not identify any person in the mob who committed the crime.
The president of the Hondh Chillar Talmel Committee, Manwinder Singh Giaspura, said that now with the report of the Justice T P Garg Commission having been placed in the Vidhan Sabha, there is hope that recommendations will be implemented.
“Since 2011, the victims of the massacre have appeared numerous times before the commission to narrate what happened to them. Most petitioners have over the years sold off their land in the village as they were too scared to return,” he said.
The commission did not identify culprits in its report. No investigation or proceedings were reportedly recommended by the commission in order to find and punish culprits.