This is an accepted version of this page
Jathedar Sukhdev Singh Babbar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Co-Chief of Babbar Khalsa | |
| In office 1978–1992 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Uncertain |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sukhdev Singh Dasuwal (1955-08-09)9 August 1955 |
| Died | 9 August 1992(1992-08-09) (aged 37) |
| Parent(s) | Jind Singh and Harnam Kaur |
Sukhdev Singh Babbar (9 August 1955 − 9 August 1992) was an Indian militant, Sikh separatist, and co-leader ofBabbar Khalsa (BK),[1][2][3] aSikh militant organisation involved in the pursuit of creating a Sikh nation named as "Khalistan"[4][5][6] and generally believed responsible for the 1985 bombing ofAir India Flight 182, although Sukhdev was never named as being involved. BK was founded byTalwinder Singh Parmar, himself, and Amarjit Kaur. He commanded BK continuously for 14 years until he was killed in 1992.[7] He was a member of theAKJsect ofSikhism.[citation needed]
Sukhdev Singh Dasuwal was born on 9 August 1955 to Jind Singh and Harnam Kaur in aSandhuJatt Sikh family of the village Dassuwal,Patti,Tarn Taran,Punjab,India. He studied up to the middle school level.[8] He had three brothers. His elder brother, Mehal Singh "Babbar" is also an active leader of theBabbar Khalsa International.[9] The older brother of all three, Angrej Singh, is blind. His family owned 18 acres (73,000 m2) of land in the village of Dassuwal. The wives of Sukhdev Singh Babbar and Mehal Singh Babbar are sisters who belonged to the adjoining village of Ghariala.[8] He took Amrit and became aKhalsa in 1977.[10]
As perThe Tribune,[11] the day of theSikh–Nirankari clashes (13 April 1978) was also the day when his marriage was fixed. On this day, he took a pledge to take revenge on theSant Nirankari Mission, a sub-sect of theNirankarisect ofSikhism.[8] He founded the organisation[1][2][3]Babbar Khalsa along withTalwinder Singh Parmar with the objective to secede fromIndia and form the state ofKhalistan for Sikhs. Babbar Khalsa's first goals were to kill the Nirankari head and the Nirankari seven stars who were the Sant Nirankari version of thePanj Pyare.[12]
Sukhdev Singh Babbar was the president of the Babbar Khalsa International. It was considered as the best armed and funded among the Khalistani militant groups in Punjab State[13] with an objective to create an independent state for Sikhs, known asKhalistan.[7] During theKhalistan movement, Sukhdev Singh Babbar was a militant chief ofBabbar Khalsa International.[8]
In the period following the Nirankari clash and untilOperation Blue Star Sukhdev Singh Babbar led Babbar Khalsa in committing a targeted killing program against Nirankaris and anyone suspected of supporting the Nirankaris.[14] In 1984 Sukhdev Singh Babbar publicly claimed responsibility for killing 35 Nirankaris[15] and later in the same year 78 Nirankaris.[16]
In 1981 Babbar Khalsa split between members in foreign nations under Tawlinder Singh and members in India under Sukhdev Singh Babbar who was made overall head. Sukhdev said no unlawful activity will be done outside of India.[17] The first unit ofBabbar Khalsa International was founded in Canada in 1981. This organisation has a presence in theUnited States,Canada,UK,Germany,France,Belgium,Norway,Switzerland andPakistan.[18]Babbar Khalsa International became a major participant inKhalistan movement under his guidance and participated in hundreds of operations against Indian security forces and remained active in several Indian states.[18]
One of Babbar Khalsa's earliest activities was the killing of Nirankari Shaadi Lal by Sukhdev Singh Babbar and Kulwant Singh Nagoke.[17] He was the President of Anandpur Sahib Municipality and one of the Nirankari seven stars.[19]
On 16 October 1981, Sukhdev and fellow Babbar Khalsa members attacked Niranjan Singh who was a Nirankari andIndian Administrative Service officer. He was theDeputy Commissioner ofGurdaspur.[20] He was a key accused in the 1978 Sikh-Nirankari clash.[21] Niranjan managed to survive the attack in an injured state, but his brother was killed.[22][23] On 16 November 1981, 2 Babbar Khalsa members on motorcycles under Sukhdev Singh Babbar killed Parhal Chand the Nirankari head ofKapurathala district. He was one of the seven Nirankari stars. In the killing, Chand's father was killed and his brother was injured.[24][25][26] On 22 May 1982, Babbar Khalsa members opened fire directed at Nirankari's inPatti killing 4 and injuring many more.[27][28]
Sukhdev had initially aligned himself withJaranil Singh Bhindranwale, but formed a closer alliance withHarchand Singh Longowal and theAkali Dal who had a falling out the Bhindranwale in 1983. Sukhdev led the Babbar Khalsa to confronting and occupying theGuru Nanak Niwas from Bhindranwale who reloacted to theAkal Takht.[29][30][31] Sukhdev served as Longowal's personal guard and arm against Bhindranwale untilOperation Blue Star. The Babbar Khalsa force, numberin around 150, took posts against the Indian Army during the operation while Sukhdev himself escaped.[32]
In February 1986 Babbar Khalsa members killed DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) Harpal Singh. He was killed along with his father.[33][34]
On 19 January 1987, Babbar Khalsa members under Sukhdev killedJoginder Pal Pandey inLudhiana. He was the general secretary of theIndian National Congress Party in Punjab and a member of thePunjab Legislative Assembly. In the attack Pandey's security guard Sohan Lal was killed. Three Babbars in a vehicle had opened fire when Pandey's car was stopped at a gas station. This incident led to a curfew in Ludhiana.[35][36]
Babbar Khalsa launched an attack in September 1987 withGurjant Singh Budhsinghwala. The target was S.H.O. (Station house officer)Sub-Inspector Mith Singh. Mith Singh had been hand-picked by then chief of Punjab PoliceJulio F. Riberio. He was picked to deal with Budhsinghwala. Mith Singh had been accused of police brutality and targeting Budhsinghwala's family. Mith Singh had dragged Budhsinghwala's father by his hair in a public humiliation.[37] Budhsinghwala began plotting to kill Mith Singh in revenge for his actions with Husan Singh and Babbar Khalsa members. The attack was carried out by Budshinghwala and fellow Sikh militants on 15 September 1987 at around 9am. Mith Singh was shot while he was walking along with his guard, a policeconstable. Both of their guns were taken by Budhsinghwala. In the crossfire a schoolboy was also killed and five others were injured. The killing is said to have greatly alarmed Punjab Chief of Police Riberio. Mith Singh was one of his best and most loyal officers.[38][39]
Commandant Gobind Ram was killed on 10 January 1990. Gobind Ram was killed in a bomb blast at the headquarters of the 75th battalion of the Punjab Armed Police inJalandhar. He was commandant of the 75th battalion. According to an informant Gobind Ram's body had to be swept off the floor. The planning of the killing was done byToofan Singh and Babbars. The bomb was planted in the cooler of his office. In the blast, three others, includingSub Inspector Prem Kumar, were killed and at least four were critically wounded. The blast also caused major damage to the building. All the windows of the second floor were broken and a fire broke out on the first floor. Multiple vehicles parked were also damaged. Gobind Ram was known as the "butcher". He was known involved in 38 extrajudicial executions. He had been on the hit list of Sikhs over his role in fake encounters. He had also beat and tortured the wives of Sikhs. He was also known for forcing people to drink urine calling it "Gobind Ram'samrit".[40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][excessive citations]
On 16 February 1990, KCF, BTFK (Sangha), BKI, and SSF collectively claimed responsibility for an explosion inPhillaur that killed Inspector Harcharan Singh Soori and Assistant Sub-Inspector Ram Moorti on the 11th. The bomb also wounded 2 Sergeants. The explosion happened in an armoured and guarded police training facility. Both were put in a special armoured room for extra safety, but were killed at 9 pm from an explosion within their room. Both officers had been accused of torturing Sikhs. Inspector Soori had survived a previous assassination attempt in 1988.[49][50]
On 25 February 1990, Babbar Khalsa killed a police informant involved in the killing of Babbar Khalsa men.[51]
On 26 February 1990, Babbar Khalsa attack aCRPF patrol near Ajab Vali killing 5 soldiers and injuring 6.[51]
On 2 March 1990, KCF, KLF, BKI, and SSF collectively claimed responsibility for killing 1Sergeant and 1 Constable ofPunjab Police in Nagoke for alleged "misdeeds".[52]
On 2 March 1990, KCF, KLF, BKI, and SSF collectively claimed responsibility for a bomb attack inPhilaur that killed 1 police constable and 2 others. They stated that they were killed because they had put fake cases on locals.[52]
On 16 March 1990, Babbar Khalsa members killed 3 serial rapists nearBatala who were wanted in over 40 cases of rape.[53]
On 16 March 1990, Babbar Khalsa claimed responsibility for killing multipleBSF men inZaffarwal.[51]
On 16 March 1990, KLF, SSF, BKI, and KCF claimed responsibility for killing a police informant named Bhagwant Singh who was involved in over 50 killings. He was also a key associate of Gobind Ram.[54]
On 6 April 1990, Babbar Khalsa claimed responsibility for killing 1Assistant Sub-Inspector and 6 Constables.[55]
On 14 May 1990, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president of SGPC, was attacked in his car. A jeep with about six militants drove beside Tohra's vehicle and opened fire. An escort car attempted to chase them but they escaped. Tohra managed to survive but was injured. Tohra's bodyguard was also injured. Tohra's driver was killed and so was formerMLA H.S. Rajla who was accompanying Tohra.[56]Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala ofKhalistan Liberation Force, Paramjit Singh Panjwar ofKhalistan Commando Force, Sukhdev Singh Babbar of Babbar Khalsa, and Daljit Singh of theAll India Sikh Student Federation collectively claimed responsibility. They said he was attacked for his involvement in Operation Blue Star.[57]
On 23 July 1990, KLF, KCF, BKI, and SSF collectively claimed responsibility for killing the Chief Engineer of theSYL, ML Sekhri, and Superintending Engineer of theSYL, Avtar Singh. They were killed while attending a meeting with fellow engineers inChandigarh.[58][59][60]
On 21 September 1990, KCF, KLF, BKI, and SSF claimed responsibility for an attack on aSPO base which killed 2 officers.[61]
On 21 September 1990, KCF, KLF, BKI, and SSF claimed responsibility for killing aNirankari inPatiala.[61]
On 28 September 1990, KCF, KLF, BKI, and SSF claimed responsibility for killing Inspector Rajinderpal Singh.[62]
On 23 November 1990, KCF, KLF, BKI, BTFK, and SSF claimed responsibility for killingCongress president ofJalandhar district, Gurdarshan Singh. They claimed he was a police informant involved in the killing of militants.[63]
On 24 November 1990, at 9 am Babbar along with other militant groups part of the Sohan Singh Committee killed Superintendent of Police (Operations) Harjit Singh in a bomb blast atTarn Taran. Sikh militants had been studying Harjit's travel routes for some time. A remote-controlled bomb had been placed on a road Harjit usually drove by to go to the doctor. When Harjit's lead security vehicles drove by and it was just his vehicle over the bomb it was detonated. In the explosion three of his security guards were killed and his vehicle was destroyed. Harjit's limbs were found over 100 meters away from the location of the explosion. A permanent curfew was put on the town after. A saying about the incident is, "He had a security vehicle in front of him and behind him, so he would be safe from all sides. But he didn’t count on his death coming from below". Twenty-two days prior to his death Harjit had killed the chief ofBTFK (S)Sukhwinder Singh Sangha along with four other militants.KLF,KCF, Babbar Khalsa,SSF, and BTFK (S) members held a meeting afterward pledging to kill Harjit within 31 days of Sangha's death. Major Singh of KCF was given the lead role in the killing. A famouskavishriballad about this incident says, "24th November at exactly 9, for Sangha’s revenge Major Singh and his allies have arrived. Without wasting any time Kharkus have come to kill him… The 5 jathebandis [Groups] had said we would hit him hard… To become SSP he had done many misdeeds… Watch how with a computer system [remote-controlled bomb]Kharkus blow him up. Harjit’s wife watches his limbs blow up… Operation Shera has been done on the SP of Operation."[64][65][66][67][68][69]
On 26 October 1991, R.N. Goyal, Chief Health Officers Ludhiana, Bachitar Singh Director Health Services Punjab, and 5 others were killed by KCF, KLF, BTFK, BKI, and SSF. They claimed that the doctors had forged autopsy’s, improperly treated Sikhs, and aided in police killings.[70][71]
He died on 9 August 1992, in a gunfight when heavily armed policemen stormed a villa in the city ofPatiala in early August and captured him. At the time, he was India's most wanted Khalistani extremist.[72]
It is reported that India used the cat system (Special Forces personnel disguised as militant), to trap Babbar. He was captured with the help of a former Babbar member turned police-cat, who informed on him in exchange for a reward of ₹ 10,00,000. This former member helped trap Babbar by arranging a meeting of top Babbar militants, ostensibly to work out future strategy. For helping neutralise the chief of the most powerful group of militants in the state, the turned member also received a third of the reward on Singh.[73]
After the death of Babbar, his followers killed policemen in retaliation.[13][73]
After his death, Punjab Police DGPKanwar Pal Singh Gill accused Babbar of living a "king-like" lifestyle. In his book, "Punjab: The Knights of Falsehoods", he accused Babbar of living a lavish lifestyle contradictory to the ideals of his organisation, and claimed that he owned multiple lavish bungalows. He further accused Babbar of living with Jawahar Kaur, a member of a popular singing group "Nabhe Wallian Bibian Da Jatha", and fathering an illegitimate child.[74]
After his death his family members left their home and moved abroad. A major portion of his ancestral house of the Babbar Khalsa chief now stands demolished and the remaining dilapidated two-room set is locked.[8]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)