1984 anti-sikh riots case files in Kanpur missing, says SIT

KANPUR: Crucial files relating to murders during the 1984 antisikh riots have gone missing from government records in Kanpur. More than 125 Sikhs were killed in this town, which witnessed the second largest killings of minorities after Delhi, following the assassination of then PM Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

The special investigation team (SIT), set up by the state government in February 2019 to re-examine the 1984 riots cases, allegedly hushed up by the police then, have discovered that important files relating to murder and dacoity were missing.

On the mysterious “disappearance” of crucial documents and case files, SIT chairman and former DGP Atul said efforts were on to retrieve the files.

“We want to know whether the police closed the cases of murder in the absence of concrete evidence or they filed charge-sheets in court of trial. However, at the moment, I can’t elaborate as in many cases relating to murder, we are yet to trace the files,” said Atul, a former IPS officer of the UP cadre, who held a senior position in the CBI.

Over 1,250 cases of murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, loot, arson, scuffle and threat to life were registered in Kanpur related to anti-sikh riots. Shockingly, missing files relate to serious crimes, like murder and dacoity. Sources said the SIT identified 38 serious crimes. In 26 cases, the police closed the investigation. The SIT has sought to re-examine these cases.

When Balendu Bhushan, SP, SIT, decided to go through the files, he found most important case dairies missing.

Kanpur SSP Anant Deo said the matter was over 35 years old. “I am not in a position to comment. We will have to see whether the files were eliminated as many documents, as per government rules, are weeded out in a particular time frame. Given the importance of cases, we will try our best to cooperate with the SIT in retrieving documents,” the SSP said.