people's verdict : an enquiry into the dec' 92 Jan 93 riots in Bomaby

The Chairman of the Indian People's Human Rights Tribunal, Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer, requested us (Justice S.M.Daud and Justice H.Suresh) to serve as members of the Tribunal, to probe the December 1992 and January 1993 riots which rocked Bombay. A copy of the said reference is annexed hereto and marked as Annexure 1.The Tribunal had its sittings in almost all the affected areas, on different days, a schedule of which is annexed hereto and marked as Annexure II.

The Tribunal collected in all about 2046 statements, both individual and joint, from persons who were affected by the riots. The Tribunal also recorded evidence of several persons in all the places where the Tribunal had its sittings. Besides, we have received various reports from journalists, social activists and various organisations. We have also collected video tapes, audio tapes, as also newspaper Still, we realise analyses and reports. The literature on the subject is immense and we have benefited a great deal by poring over the same. the likelihood of deficiencies in the report. Perhaps, it is not as complete as it should be. All that we can plead in extenuation, is the urgent need to complete the probe as also the report, lest delay push the riots and its lessons to a forgotten niche of the history of recent times.