Baku Initiative Group reviews 1984 violence against Sikhs in India

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has analyzed a 1984 study on systematic mass violence against the Sikh community in India, Report informs, citing a statement.

The study titled "Who Are the Guilty?", jointly prepared by two Indian human rights organizations - the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and the People's Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) - is presented as an independent investigation of the events.

The document examines the mass violence committed against Sikhs in Delhi and surrounding areas on October 31, 1984. The research is based on interviews with survivors, witnesses, refugees, police officers, and politicians.

The main conclusion of the study is that the violence was premeditated and organized with the involvement of the Indian government.

The peak of the violence occurred between November 1 and 3, 1984. According to eyewitness accounts, more than 1,000 people were killed in Delhi alone. Hundreds of murders were recorded in the Trilokpuri and Mangolpuri areas. Widespread looting, arson of homes, shops and schools, as well as the rape of women, reflected the scale of the tragedy. According to various sources, more than 50,000 people were left homeless, thousands of families lost their breadwinners, and hundreds of children were orphaned.

The report emphasizes the systemic nature of these events and the responsibility of state authorities, calling for an independent judicial investigation and punishment of those responsible. Despite the establishment of the Mishra Commission in 1985 and the Nanavati Commission in 2005, senior officials and politicians have not been held accountable for the crimes committed against the Sikh community.

International human rights organizations have described the actions of the Indian government as "organized carnage at the state level," and the report remains one of the key documents addressing the issue.

In January 2026, an international conference initiated by BIG was held in Baku, following which representatives of Sikh communities from various countries called on the Indian government to end persecution and officially recognize the mass killings.