Satwant Singh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Satwant Singh 1962 |
| Died | 6 January 1989(1989-01-06) (aged 26–27) Tihar Jail, New Delhi, India |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Occupation | Bodyguard of the Prime Minister of India |
| Employer | Government of India |
| Title | QuomiShaheed (National Martyr) byAkal Takht[1] |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Spouse | |
| Conviction | Assassination of Indira Gandhi |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
Satwant Singh (1962 – 6 January 1989) was one of the bodyguards, along withBeant Singh, whoassassinated thePrime Minister of India,Indira Gandhi, at herNew Delhi residence on 31 October 1984. His attacks were in retaliation of Indira Gandhi'sOperation Blue Star.[2]
The motivation for theassassination of Indira Gandhi was revenge for the military operation carried out by the Indian government onHarmandir Sahib, inAmritsar, India.[3][4][5][6]
Beant Singh drew a .38 revolver and fired three shots intoIndira Gandhi's abdomen; as she fell to the ground, Satwant Singh fired all 30 rounds from hisSten submachine gun into her abdomen (thus, 33 bullets were fired in total, of which 30 bullets hit her). Both assassins subsequently dropped their weapons and surrendered.[7][8]
Beant Singh was immediately shot to death by other guards present. Satwant Singh was arrested and later sentenced to death by hanging along with co-conspiratorKehar Singh. In his court statement, Satwant Singh appealed for end to communal violence in the country, while pinning the blame for the same on Indira andRajiv Gandhi. The execution was carried out on 6 January 1989.[9]
The assassination of Gandhi brought their immediate families into the limelight,[10] resulting in their winning twoLok Sabha seats from state ofPunjab.[11] The Lok Sabha is a directly elected 543 member house of theParliament of India.
In the aftermath of the executions of Satwant Singh andKehar Singh, communal violence occurred in Punjab, resulting in 14 Hindus being killed by militants.[12][13]In 2003, aBhog ceremony was held at the highest Sikh temporal seat inAkal Takht, located in the Golden Temple Complex inAmritsar, where tributes were paid to Indira Gandhi's assassins.[14]
In 2004, the anniversary of his death was again observed atAkal Takhat, Amritsar, where his mother was honored by the head priest and tributes were paid to Satwant Singh andKehar Singh by various political parties.[15] In 2007, the death anniversaries of Satwant Singh and his wife were observed in various parts ofPunjab and other countries. On 6 January 2008, theAkal Takht declared Beant Singh and Satwant Singh "martyrs of Sikhism",[14][16][17] while theSGPC also labeled them "martyrs of the Sikh nation".
The Sikh-centric political party in India,Shiromani Akali Dal, observed the death anniversary of Beant Singh and Satwant Singh as "martyrdom" for the first time on 31 October 2008.[18] Every 31 October since, this date has been observed at Sri Akal Takht Sahib.[19]
A film calledKaum de Heere was made about him in 2014.[20]
Singh's father was Tarlok Singh.[15] He married Surinder Kaur (daughter of Virsa Singh) on 2 May 1988 while he was in prison.[21] His fiancé wed him in absentia by "marrying" his photo in anAnand Karaj.[22][23]
Subsequently, the Akal Takht and the SGPC, granted Beant Singh, Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh, the status of "quami shaheed" (martyrs of the community). Their portraits have also been displayed at the Sikh Museum inside the Golden Temple complex. Their relatives have been honoured at Akal Takht at every anniversary of their execution, for the last 24 years.
