Kehar Singh
Encyclopedia
Kehar Singh was tried and executed for conspiracy in the plot of Indira Gandhi assassination
, carried out by Satwant Singh
and Beant Singh
. He was hanged in Tihar jail on January 6, 1989. Beant Singh
was the nephew of Kehar Singh.
The assassination was motivated by Operation Blue Star
which was carried out starting on 3 June 1984, the military action against the Sikh "Golden Temple" in Amritsar to flush out the militants from the temple and restore its sanctity of the Sikhism's holiest shrine. These violent events which led to the desecration of the holy shrine Golden Temple / Harminder Sahib caused outrage amongst the Sikh community, who claimed that the attacks were pre-planned and that anti-Sikh violence which followed was government orchestrated.
Beant Singh
and Satwant Singh
were Sikh bodyguards of Indira Gandhi, and on 31 October 1984 they assassinated her in her garden, putting thirty three bullets in her chest and abdomen.
Beant Singh was killed by gunfire at the scene of the assassination. Satwant Singh
was arrested and Kehar Singh was later arrested for conspiracy in the assassination. Both were sentenced to death and hanged in Tihar jail in Delhi.
ceremony was held at Akal Takhat, Amritsar where tributes were paid to Indira's assassins
In 2004, his death anniversary was again observed at Akal Takhat, Amritsar, where SGPC, Shiromani Akali Dal
and head priest of Akal Takhat paid tributes to Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh.
In 2007, his death anniversary was observed in various parts of Punjab
and other countries.
On January 6, 2008 the highest Sikh temporal seat (Akal Takhat, Amritsar
) declared Kehar Singh and other assassins of former prime minister Indira Gandhi martyrs of Sikhism SGPC also paid homage to both Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh and called them "martyrs of Sikh nation". Shiromani Akali Dal
observed their death anniversary as 'martyrdom' on October 31, 2008
Indira Gandhi assassination
Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, was assassinated on 31 October 1984, 9.20 am, at her 1, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi residence.She was killed by two of her Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, to avenge the military attack on the Harmandir Sahib during Operation Blue...
, carried out by Satwant Singh
Satwant Singh
Satwant Singh was a Sikh bodyguard to the Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, who on October 31, 1984 assassinated Indira Gandhi at her residence along with another bodyguard, Beant Singh....
and Beant Singh
Beant Singh (assassin)
Beant Singh , born in Jaitu in the Faridkot district of Punjab , was one of Indira Gandhi's assassins...
. He was hanged in Tihar jail on January 6, 1989. Beant Singh
Beant Singh (assassin)
Beant Singh , born in Jaitu in the Faridkot district of Punjab , was one of Indira Gandhi's assassins...
was the nephew of Kehar Singh.
The assassination was motivated by Operation Blue Star
Operation Blue Star
Operation Blue Star ) 3– 6 June 1984 was an Indian military operation, ordered by Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, to remove Sikh separatists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar...
which was carried out starting on 3 June 1984, the military action against the Sikh "Golden Temple" in Amritsar to flush out the militants from the temple and restore its sanctity of the Sikhism's holiest shrine. These violent events which led to the desecration of the holy shrine Golden Temple / Harminder Sahib caused outrage amongst the Sikh community, who claimed that the attacks were pre-planned and that anti-Sikh violence which followed was government orchestrated.
Beant Singh
Beant Singh (assassin)
Beant Singh , born in Jaitu in the Faridkot district of Punjab , was one of Indira Gandhi's assassins...
and Satwant Singh
Satwant Singh
Satwant Singh was a Sikh bodyguard to the Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, who on October 31, 1984 assassinated Indira Gandhi at her residence along with another bodyguard, Beant Singh....
were Sikh bodyguards of Indira Gandhi, and on 31 October 1984 they assassinated her in her garden, putting thirty three bullets in her chest and abdomen.
Beant Singh was killed by gunfire at the scene of the assassination. Satwant Singh
Satwant Singh
Satwant Singh was a Sikh bodyguard to the Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, who on October 31, 1984 assassinated Indira Gandhi at her residence along with another bodyguard, Beant Singh....
was arrested and Kehar Singh was later arrested for conspiracy in the assassination. Both were sentenced to death and hanged in Tihar jail in Delhi.
Honours and death anniversaries
In 2003, a BhogBhog
Bhog is a term used in Hinduism and Sikhism.-In Hinduism:Bhog in the Hindu religion is a ritual of sacrifice to the Gods.-In Sikhism:...
ceremony was held at Akal Takhat, Amritsar where tributes were paid to Indira's assassins
In 2004, his death anniversary was again observed at Akal Takhat, Amritsar, where SGPC, Shiromani Akali Dal
Shiromani Akali Dal
The Shiromani Akali Dal , translation: Supreme Akali Party) is a Sikh nationalist political parties based in Punjab. The current party to be recognized by the Election Commission of India is the one led by Parkash Singh Badal...
and head priest of Akal Takhat paid tributes to Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh.
In 2007, his death anniversary was observed in various parts of Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
and other countries.
On January 6, 2008 the highest Sikh temporal seat (Akal Takhat, Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
) declared Kehar Singh and other assassins of former prime minister Indira Gandhi martyrs of Sikhism SGPC also paid homage to both Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh and called them "martyrs of Sikh nation". Shiromani Akali Dal
Shiromani Akali Dal
The Shiromani Akali Dal , translation: Supreme Akali Party) is a Sikh nationalist political parties based in Punjab. The current party to be recognized by the Election Commission of India is the one led by Parkash Singh Badal...
observed their death anniversary as 'martyrdom' on October 31, 2008