These are edited excerpts from British journalist Pav Singh’s book ‘1984: India’s Guilty Secret’ published by Rupa in 2017. The excerpts have been reproduced with the author’s permission.

On the morning of 1 November, a huge bloodthirsty crowd roamed through Trilokpuri colony in East Delhi, one of the poorest parts of the capital that bore the brunt of its casualties.

The worst massacres took place in Block 32 along two narrow alleys, just 150 yards long, in which hundreds of Sikh residents inhabiting single-room tenements were casually butchered over several days.

Initially, around 150 local Sikhs were able to fend off the stone-throwing mob numbering several thousands. Two hours later, the local police suddenly intervened.