In this part of the series, Punjab Insurgency – An Untold Story Part 3 we see Preeto along with other women visiting the house to feed the goats, buffaloes, chicken,and, most importantly,remembering the departed souls of their family. They wander through the empty rooms and the courtyard where they found the clay floor covered with dark patches.

These patches were nothing but blood stains and funeral pyres. While standing at the exact spot where the terrorists took the precious lives of their loved ones right in front of their eyes, Preeto wailed saying that oh nephew, today, you would have been the bridegroom. And what a bridegroom you would have been, I wonder the color of your turban, but no matter what you had worn, you would have looked handsome. She also wailed about her brave brother and said what they have done to him? She asked God where she can find him, and she is ready to go there.

Continue reading Punjab Insurgency – An untold story

KCF Had Taken the Responsibility of the Merciless Act

Then the women, as now only females, were left as Joginder Singh brother of Harjinder Singh and his son Harbir Singh were taken by the police for questioning, gathered under a Peepal tree to discuss what happened with them. They discussed that one of the Punjabi newspapers had the news saying that the Khalistan Commando Force had taken the responsibility of the massacre.

The self-styled chief of Khalistan Commando Force, General Labh Singh,said that they killed the family of Harjinder Singh as he was a police informer, and he asked for the endowment from the family where his son was scheduled to get married. The wedding was to have taken place after one week,and all the preparations were done.

As for the dowry, they acknowledged that a scooter, a television set, and a cupboard was sent from the girl’s family, but they even expressed their uncertainty whether all that was sent willingly or it was insisted. But, on the day Harjinder was cremated, everything was taken back from the girl’s family.

Family of Harjinder Singh Had to Face the Police Atrocities

The family of Harjinder Singh also had to face additional trauma where his brother and nephew were arrested as if they had committed the murder. Geja Singh (his neighbor) was also arrested. He said that they were taken to a police station in Mehta Chowk, they tied their hands behind their backs and they were brutally beaten. The policemen kept asking them who had done it. He said that he had not seen anything as he ran into the fields after hearing the shots. But they didn’t listen and kept him in the lockup for three days.

Seeing the brutal behavior of police, the family of Joginder Singh is aggrieved. They said that there is a CRPF camp in the village,and since the firing started at 10 pm, when there is complete silence during the night time, they should have heard the sound of bullets.The firing sounds can be easily heard 2 km away from where the BSF picket is located.Still, even they didn’t react as it was not within their jurisdiction. The villagers believe that the only reason the security forces didn’t respond was that they were too scared to confront the terrorists.

According to the villagers, the CRPF men used to patrol the area during the daytime, when they should also patrol in the night-time as well. Geja Singh also added that the police also asked him the reason why he didn’t inform the police about the firing the next day. He replied that he was too scared to do so. But he asked what about the police side, it is hard to believe that nobody heard the noise.

Continue reading Punjab Insurgency – An Untold Story (Part II)

No Helping Hand for the Victim of 1980’s Human Tragedy

Even today, people don’t want to cross near Harjinder Singh farmhouse, most of them choose to change their path. And even if they had to go, they avert their eyes. People are too scared to share the details of the event, and some even pretend that they don’t know how to get to the house. As for Harjinder Singh, he had a good image in the village. He was known as a man with a golden heart. He was always ready to lend a helping hand for the needy ones and had no contact with the police. He used to spend most of his time taking care of his 20 acres of land and taking care of his family.

When the terrorists invaded the farmhouse, it was the day of festivities as everyone was preparing for the first marriage in the house.An extra room was also being built for the bride and groom; the room was complete,but only the flooring was left. In one of the inner rooms, there was a large store of grain, a trunk filled with new clothes, and a cache of small change that was kept to be distributed to the poor and needy ones on the wedding day.

Massacre That Changed the Lives of Innocent People

This massacre certainly changed the lives of many and numerous innocent lives were lost as well. Especially, the lives of Rooprani and Preeto will never be the same. After so many years, they are still not able to accept the fact that they will not be able to see the faces of their loved ones anymore. They feel disoriented and feel like they have lost the purpose in life. 

This is one of the tragic stories of one of the Punjab’s family during the 80s. This is where the story of Rooprani and Preeto’s family concludes. Stay tuned for the next 2 stories, in the 1st one we will discuss how Subhash Singh’s family got affected by the terrorists? In the next story we will discuss Umranangal family’s sacrifices and their fight against terrorism.