Sajjan Kumar, Former Congress MP Convicted in 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots, Passes Away at 80

Sajjan Kumar's Death and Legacy

New Delhi: Sajjan Kumar, a former Member of Parliament from the Congress party, passed away on Thursday at the age of 80 in a hospital in Delhi. He had been serving a life sentence related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Kumar was incarcerated in Tihar Jail but was transferred to Safdarjung Hospital when his health worsened. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

He was found guilty for his involvement in the deaths of five individuals during the riots that erupted in Palam Colony, Delhi, on November 1 and 2, 1984, following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

On December 17, 2018, the Delhi High Court reversed a previous trial court's 2013 decision that had acquitted Kumar. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The case involved the murder of five Sikh men in Raj Nagar Part-I, Palam Colony, along with the destruction of a gurdwara amid the widespread violence. The High Court deemed Kumar guilty of criminal conspiracy and abetment, ordering him to serve life in prison for the remainder of his life. The court characterized the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as 'crimes against humanity.'

Kumar's appeal against his conviction is still pending before the Supreme Court.

Earlier this year, in January, a Delhi court acquitted him in two other cases related to allegations of inciting violence in Janakpuri and Vikaspuri during the riots.

Despite these acquittals, Kumar remained in custody due to life sentences from other cases linked to the riots.

In February 2025, the Rouse Avenue Court imposed another life sentence on Kumar in the Saraswati Vihar case, where he was convicted for his role in a mob attack that resulted in the deaths of a father and son, Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh, who were reportedly burned alive.

The prosecution had sought the death penalty, but the court opted for life imprisonment, taking into account Kumar's age and health.