What do you think?
Rate this book
1984: The Anti-Sikh Riots and After
A chilling eyewitness account of the anti-Sikh violence
Sanjay Suri was a young crime reporter with The Indian Express newspaper in New Delhi when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards on 31 October 1984. He was among the few journalists to experience the full horror of the anti-Sikh violence that followed and carried on unchecked for the next couple of days, while the police looked the other way.
He saw a Congress MP demanding the release of party workers who had been arrested for loot. He had a narrow escape from a gang of killers while out reporting. He later filed affidavits that included eyewitness accounts relating to two Congress MPs, and confronted former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally. Suri also testified before several commissions of inquiry set up to investigate the massacres---though very little came of these.
In this book, he brings together a wealth of fresh revelations, arising from his own experiences, and from extensive interviews with police officers then in the front line of facing the violence. Humane but chilling, Suri's account is backed by a thorough examination of existing records and the provisions of the Indian legal system.
Taking a close look at the question of the Congress hand behind the brutalities and why the survivors continue to wait for justice even thirty years later, 1984: The Anti-Sikh Violence and After remains urgent even today. It combines expert reportage with gripping recollections to tell a riveting story, leaving us disturbed and moved in equal measure.
Sanjay Suri was a young crime reporter with The Indian Express newspaper in New Delhi when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards on 31 October 1984. He was among the few journalists to experience the full horror of the anti-Sikh violence that followed and carried on unchecked for the next couple of days, while the police looked the other way.
He saw a Congress MP demanding the release of party workers who had been arrested for loot. He had a narrow escape from a gang of killers while out reporting. He later filed affidavits that included eyewitness accounts relating to two Congress MPs, and confronted former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally. Suri also testified before several commissions of inquiry set up to investigate the massacres---though very little came of these.
In this book, he brings together a wealth of fresh revelations, arising from his own experiences, and from extensive interviews with police officers then in the front line of facing the violence. Humane but chilling, Suri's account is backed by a thorough examination of existing records and the provisions of the Indian legal system.
Taking a close look at the question of the Congress hand behind the brutalities and why the survivors continue to wait for justice even thirty years later, 1984: The Anti-Sikh Violence and After remains urgent even today. It combines expert reportage with gripping recollections to tell a riveting story, leaving us disturbed and moved in equal measure.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2015
29 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 31, 2015
If the reader would like to pick up the book for material new information you'd be disappointed. There isn't any. What it does have is a journalist's perspective from around three decades away of a couple of days that are somewhat of a snapshot of times to come. The prose is often a bit turgid, as if Sanjay was not convinced of the word to select or, not convinced about the impact of his selection. The best aspect about the text is the element of "deconstruction" - use the available narrative around statements made and positions taken and then turn them around to suggest the linear and non-linear connections between the actors.
The most important drawback is that this book does not present an additional companion website as a digital presence. If Sanjay was able to put up his notes, references and secondary reading material, this book would be more complete and well put together than most. Without that, this is merely a set of musings from a distance well cushioned by time and fate.
The most important drawback is that this book does not present an additional companion website as a digital presence. If Sanjay was able to put up his notes, references and secondary reading material, this book would be more complete and well put together than most. Without that, this is merely a set of musings from a distance well cushioned by time and fate.
January 25, 2016
Sanjay Suri's perspective and experiences on the 1984 violence against the Sikh's in Delhi.
With only a few rare exceptions, the author makes a sound logical case to highlight the failure and complicity of both the Delhi police and the Congress government in preventing the violence, and by their inactions, help in propagating it.
There are some points that the author repeats a number of times, and while that does get a bit annoying, I would still highly recommend this book.
With only a few rare exceptions, the author makes a sound logical case to highlight the failure and complicity of both the Delhi police and the Congress government in preventing the violence, and by their inactions, help in propagating it.
There are some points that the author repeats a number of times, and while that does get a bit annoying, I would still highly recommend this book.
Read
March 22, 2016Very informative with detailed personal accounts of the author. However, the language was repetitive.
August 22, 2024
Having heard stories from friends and family who lived through the horrors of 1984, I approached this book with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. I’m glad I decided to read it because it offers a sobering perspective that goes beyond personal anecdotes, providing a journalist’s meticulous account of what happened during and after those fateful days.
Sanjay Suri, a journalist who witnessed the riots firsthand, presents a narrative that is both personal and deeply informative. He doesn’t just recount the events of 1984; he examines the aftermath, the lingering scars, and the failure of justice that followed. What struck me most about this book is its honesty—Suri does not shy away from the brutality, the fear, and the widespread complicity that allowed such violence to unfold. His writing is clear and unflinching, offering readers a window into the chaos and inhumanity that erupted in the wake of Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
This book is not an easy read, but it is an essential one. It provides a fast understanding of the events, making it accessible to those who, like me, might not have lived through that time but want to comprehend the gravity of what happened. Suri’s detailed account helps to bridge the gap between those who witnessed the riots and those who seek to learn about them. However, I would caution against reading this book with a mindset of holding grudges or seeking revenge. That would only diminish the value of Suri’s work and the lessons it holds.
Instead, this book should be read as a way to learn from the past, to understand the depth of human cruelty, the dangers of unchecked power, and the importance of holding on to our shared humanity. Suri’s account transcends the boundaries of caste, religion, and culture, reminding us that we are all bound by our shared history and, more importantly, by our shared humanity.
Sanjay Suri, a journalist who witnessed the riots firsthand, presents a narrative that is both personal and deeply informative. He doesn’t just recount the events of 1984; he examines the aftermath, the lingering scars, and the failure of justice that followed. What struck me most about this book is its honesty—Suri does not shy away from the brutality, the fear, and the widespread complicity that allowed such violence to unfold. His writing is clear and unflinching, offering readers a window into the chaos and inhumanity that erupted in the wake of Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
This book is not an easy read, but it is an essential one. It provides a fast understanding of the events, making it accessible to those who, like me, might not have lived through that time but want to comprehend the gravity of what happened. Suri’s detailed account helps to bridge the gap between those who witnessed the riots and those who seek to learn about them. However, I would caution against reading this book with a mindset of holding grudges or seeking revenge. That would only diminish the value of Suri’s work and the lessons it holds.
Instead, this book should be read as a way to learn from the past, to understand the depth of human cruelty, the dangers of unchecked power, and the importance of holding on to our shared humanity. Suri’s account transcends the boundaries of caste, religion, and culture, reminding us that we are all bound by our shared history and, more importantly, by our shared humanity.
October 21, 2016
A rare eye-witness account of 1984 Anti-Sikh genocide which led to killing of upwards of 3,000 people in a span of 3 days after Indira Gandhi, India's Prime Minister was gunned down by her own security guards.
This is the first account of the mass killings I have read, so I cannot compare it with others, like HS Phoolka and Manoj Mitta's "When a Tree shook Delhi" (I have heard from several friends and websites that it is an informative read).
I will just mention a few areas where this book excels:
1. It is a gripping eye-witness account of killings during those days.
2. The author describes some (not all) of the political underpinnings of the events leading upto and after the killings, which can be useful for someone new to this (I was). So this book definitely can serve as a primer, laying bare several of the key facts and people involved in the killings.
3. The book makes the case for bringing these atrocities to a closure by providing justice to the survivors and the family members of those killed.
4. The book recounts the institutional failures - Police, Politicians, and Media - in fact, it was both inaction on the part of agencies supposed to protect us, as well as instigation by some political leaders (Congress - I) which fuelled this carnage. Many of these are deeply disturbing and shocking.
For anyone interested in exploring this terrible phase of India's post-independence history, I would highly recommend this work.
This is the first account of the mass killings I have read, so I cannot compare it with others, like HS Phoolka and Manoj Mitta's "When a Tree shook Delhi" (I have heard from several friends and websites that it is an informative read).
I will just mention a few areas where this book excels:
1. It is a gripping eye-witness account of killings during those days.
2. The author describes some (not all) of the political underpinnings of the events leading upto and after the killings, which can be useful for someone new to this (I was). So this book definitely can serve as a primer, laying bare several of the key facts and people involved in the killings.
3. The book makes the case for bringing these atrocities to a closure by providing justice to the survivors and the family members of those killed.
4. The book recounts the institutional failures - Police, Politicians, and Media - in fact, it was both inaction on the part of agencies supposed to protect us, as well as instigation by some political leaders (Congress - I) which fuelled this carnage. Many of these are deeply disturbing and shocking.
For anyone interested in exploring this terrible phase of India's post-independence history, I would highly recommend this work.
November 20, 2015
A pathetically written book. First off let me say that its not entirely the author's fault. I read this book with great expectations. As a book that has been released 30 years after the event, I kind of expected to book to have a broad coverage of the events and given that the book is written by a journalist, I expected a certain quality from the reporting as well as the reasoning. And on both these fronts, the book was a heavy letdown. The book's coverage of the events are really fragmented and without any kind of structure. The book is filled with anecdotes and stories through which the author tries to portray the failings of the government as well as the police. I have no doubt that there were failings on both the sides. And the entire book feels like an attempt by the author to bring out these failings. Unfortunately, the author fails in even that, failing to prove or to even strongly implicate either party.
April 30, 2016
It's a first person account of the 1984 killings of Sikhs in delhi. The factual matters are only given towards the end. Could have structured better. Readers can use this as a introductory reading on the killings.
Read
May 4, 2022While everyone knows about George Orwell's book 1984, it is unfortunate that people do not know about real massacre that happened in Delhi after Ex PM Indira's Gandhi was shot. These book is must read.
December 13, 2017
Horrors of the riots as described by the eyewitnesses. Writer has researched enough to write a book about the gruesome incident.
Read
August 15, 2020Not a great book to read if you want to know about the riots in detail. Although books talk about in detail as to what happened in Delhi after the riots.
July 18, 2022
Being an eyewitness and a investigative journalist, the writer exposes the perpetrators and conspirators of carnage of Sikkhs after murder of Mrs. Indira Gandhi .
January 23, 2023
Truth is always dark... Very detailed and precisely pointed out things which never got to see justice.
May 18, 2025
More a journalist's "dairy" and media+state critique than a telling of events. Jarnail Singh's book remains the best, though not exhaustive, introduction to the subject.
October 10, 2015
I have very mixed feelings about this book. I reckon the best way to clarify these feelings is to reduce them to a set of bullets.
POSITIVES
- There is a wealth of information in this book, much of which is not common knowledge by any means.
- Given that no justice has ever been provided to the thousands of victims of 1984, it is of utmost importance that at least these events be documented thoroughly so that at the very least, future generations are apprised of the truth and can come to their own conclusions.
- It is fascinating to see the events of 1984 from the lens of a crime reporter. It was clear that those events left a dark mark on his soul and conscience.
NEGATIVES
- From a purely technical standpoint, the writing is meandering, redundant and often without a clear focus.
- This is my biggest complaint: the writer is biased. He can proclaim neutrality all he wants, but the evidence lies within this book's pages. And by biased, I mean against the Sikhs. Don't get me wrong; he does not present himself as anti-Sikh in the least. In fact, he often professes admiration for the Sikh people. However, the ease with which he accepts wholly unsubstantiated untruths and rumors, given that he is a crime reporter, is disturbing to say the least. He will examine every shred of evidence of what happened in Delhi, but he readily accepts the unproven reports of Sikhs targeting innocent civilians and committing terrorist acts. In fact, the use of the very term "terrorist" is rather nauseating when he associates the term with Sikhs, while writing an entire book about THREE THOUSAND INNOCENT SIKHS being murdered, tortured, raped and robbed by an ORGANIZED group. But sure, it's the Sikhs who are terrorists. Another poignant example is when he blithely accepts that Bhindranwale routinely had innocent people murdered. But then he mentions that he's released from jail for lack of evidence almost as an inconsequential footnote. Even more obnoxious is that he recounts in great detail how he visited Bhindranwale's home in Rode on the VERY DAY news circulated that he had been "found" in the Golden Temple complex ("found" apparently a euphemism for "tortured, desecrated and murdered."). He walked up to his family home and encountered a large group of Sikhs. He admits that he was very concerned for his safety since he was the only Hindu there. Yet, HIS OWN FAMILY felt that he looked hungry and offered him a meal, even as an Army helicopter hovered above, and as the family was processing the fresh information that their hero had been martyred. So, here we have his own family in shock, and yet they have the warmth of heart to bring him a fresh dinner. And yet on the other hand, he accepts unsubstantiated but sadly common tropes that Bhindranwale was a terrorist who wantonly killed innocent people. How does he reconcile the two things? I can tell you how. Bias.
If the information weren't so damn important, I would have given this book a 2/10. But such as it is...
POSITIVES
- There is a wealth of information in this book, much of which is not common knowledge by any means.
- Given that no justice has ever been provided to the thousands of victims of 1984, it is of utmost importance that at least these events be documented thoroughly so that at the very least, future generations are apprised of the truth and can come to their own conclusions.
- It is fascinating to see the events of 1984 from the lens of a crime reporter. It was clear that those events left a dark mark on his soul and conscience.
NEGATIVES
- From a purely technical standpoint, the writing is meandering, redundant and often without a clear focus.
- This is my biggest complaint: the writer is biased. He can proclaim neutrality all he wants, but the evidence lies within this book's pages. And by biased, I mean against the Sikhs. Don't get me wrong; he does not present himself as anti-Sikh in the least. In fact, he often professes admiration for the Sikh people. However, the ease with which he accepts wholly unsubstantiated untruths and rumors, given that he is a crime reporter, is disturbing to say the least. He will examine every shred of evidence of what happened in Delhi, but he readily accepts the unproven reports of Sikhs targeting innocent civilians and committing terrorist acts. In fact, the use of the very term "terrorist" is rather nauseating when he associates the term with Sikhs, while writing an entire book about THREE THOUSAND INNOCENT SIKHS being murdered, tortured, raped and robbed by an ORGANIZED group. But sure, it's the Sikhs who are terrorists. Another poignant example is when he blithely accepts that Bhindranwale routinely had innocent people murdered. But then he mentions that he's released from jail for lack of evidence almost as an inconsequential footnote. Even more obnoxious is that he recounts in great detail how he visited Bhindranwale's home in Rode on the VERY DAY news circulated that he had been "found" in the Golden Temple complex ("found" apparently a euphemism for "tortured, desecrated and murdered."). He walked up to his family home and encountered a large group of Sikhs. He admits that he was very concerned for his safety since he was the only Hindu there. Yet, HIS OWN FAMILY felt that he looked hungry and offered him a meal, even as an Army helicopter hovered above, and as the family was processing the fresh information that their hero had been martyred. So, here we have his own family in shock, and yet they have the warmth of heart to bring him a fresh dinner. And yet on the other hand, he accepts unsubstantiated but sadly common tropes that Bhindranwale was a terrorist who wantonly killed innocent people. How does he reconcile the two things? I can tell you how. Bias.
If the information weren't so damn important, I would have given this book a 2/10. But such as it is...
March 26, 2016
there are very few direct observations. it's mostly subjective analysis of the commission and ommission on the part of delhi police. Most of the incidents are already known.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews