KANPUR: An 85-year-old woman, an eyewitness of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the city, whose husband had suffered cardiac arrest when a mob mercilessly assaulted their two sons and looted cash and valuables from their house, appeared before the SIT coordination committee at a camp organised at Kidwai Nagar Gurudwara in the city on Sunday.Kawaljit Singh Manu, member, SIT (Special Investiation Team) coordination committee, told TOI that the 85-year-old woman eyewitness, used to live in Shastri Nagar area of the city with her husband and two sons when the riots broke out in the morning of November 1, 1984.The woman, who did not want to reveal her identity, said that her account would help SIT in nailing down the perpetrators of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, who were still roaming.“Since SIT was formed, till date, we have 12 eyewitnesses, including the 85-year-old woman, who used to live in Shastri Nagar, when her husband suffered cardiac arrest on seeing their two sons being brutally assaulted by a mob on November 1, 1984. Now, she along with eleven eyewitnesses will be presented before the SIT soon,” Manu added.The woman still vividly remembers the morning of November 1, 1984, and shudders while narrating the ordeal she and her family members had gone through, he said.She said the mob, led by a local politician and some influential people of the locality, raising provocative slogans, barged into her house with weapons, pounced on her two sons.“After brutally assaulting them, the mob dragged them on the road. When my husband pleaded before them to spare their sons, they mercilessly thrashed him too folowing which he suffered cardiac arrest and died later. Thereafter, the mob plundered and looted valuables from my house. It took away everything from our house including spoons and our clothing”, she said and added, “At every house, the mob was looking for people belonging to the Sikh community.”When she went to the local police station to lodge a report, the police refused and instead threatened her saying that she would also meet the same fate, she alleged.“The cops tried to intimidate me saying the people whom I was naming were influential persons and the police would not be able to give her security,” she said.Others present during the first-hand account of the elderly woman included Sardar Mokam Singh, Iqbal Singh Dua, Ujagar Singh Grover and advocate Gopal Singh. “The SIT should initiate a probe in this regard as now we have with us 12 eyewitnesses. If SIT wants, we can arrange for them a premises for the office purpose,” said Sardar Mokam Singh, member of SIT coordination committee.

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