Sajjan Kumar who served as a Congress MP has received life imprisonment for his involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot and murders of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh at the Saraswati Vihar location in Delhi. A mob allegedly controlled by Kumar launched their attack against Sikhs on November 1, 1984, following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The court also imposed subsequent terms of punishment on Kumar including life imprisonment together with charges for rioting and attempting culpable homicide.
Sikh leaders together with victims’ relatives strongly criticised the court’s decision which failed to satisfy them. Prosecutors during the trial asked for the death penalty for Kumar because they deemed his horrific crimes deserving of such punishment. Prosecutors explained that the killings were part of an organised Sikh genocide effort that included property destruction as well as widespread looting and arson attacks. The prosecution declared this case more severe than the Nirbhaya gang rape case because it involved targeting an entire community specifically.
Victim’s Family Discontent with Court’s Verdict
The court’s decision to hand out a life sentence has received widespread criticism from those who sought stronger penalties. The leader of Sikhs, Gurlad Singh expressed his dissatisfaction with the life sentence while vowing to start proceedings for a more severe judgment. The complainant whose family members died during the attack insisted that the court should have handed down the harsh sentence because she believed justice remained incomplete.
Sajjan Kumar Already Serving Life Imprisonment for Another 1984 Riot Case
After serving as Member of Parliament Kumar received his life sentence for his role in the killings of five people during the Delhi Cantonment riots. The victims of the 1984 riots continue to experience incomplete justice since several suspects remain unpunished for their actions.
The 1984 riots, triggered by the assassination of Indira Gandhi, left a deep scar on the Sikh community, with thousands of innocent lives lost. While the legal process has taken decades, Sajjan Kumar’s conviction serves as a reminder of the need for justice, but the debate on whether the punishment fits the crime continues.
