Labh Singh
Encyclopedia
Sukhdev Singh best known as Labh Singh and also known as Sukha Sipahi and General Labh Singh, was a former Punjab
police
officer who took command of the Khalistan Commando Force
after its first leader, Manbir Singh Chaheru
, was arrested in 1986.
He was an associate of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
and fought against the Indian Army
during Operation Bluestar.
He was involved in the attack on the Director-General of the Punjab Police, Julio Francis Ribeiro
.
He allegedly masterminded what was then India's largest bank robbery, taking almost Rs. 6 crore
($4.5 million) from the Punjab National Bank
, Miller Gunj branch, Ludhiana. which enabled the Khalistan Commando Force
to buy weapons.
He was also known as Sukha Sipahi.
He lived in the village of Panjwar, in Tehsil (sub-district) Patti
in district Amritsar
and owned 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) of land.
He married Davinder Kaur.
, Labh Singh left the Punjab police in the early 80s, and joined the Sikh militant movement.
In May 1984, Labh Singh, Gursewak Singh Babla, Gurinder Singh and Swaranjit Singh were accused of killing Hind Samachar newspaper group editor Ramesh Chander,
who was an outspoken critic of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
and had written that Punjab had "become a slaughterhouse."
In a call to an Amritsar news agency, responsibility for the attack in Jullundur by four armed men was claimed by Sikh militant group Deshmesh Regiment
.
The caller was quoted as saying “Whoever speaks or writes against Saint Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale will be answered with bullets.”
During Operation Blue Star
, he fought against the Indian Army with other Sikh militants.
He was arrested by the army after the operation.
, Punjab, India. Accounts of the attack, reported on April 6, 1986 in the US, differed. According to an unidentified source in Mahmood's "Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants", the attack was made by Sikh militant leader Manbir Singh Chaheru
and his associates.
"The Courier" of Arizona
, US, carried a story attributed to UPI
stating that 3 "Sikh terrorists" killed 3 police officers who were taking 3 prisoners to a bathroom, while "16 armed court guards cowered in fear". The report stated that 2 police holding a 4th prisoner were also gunned down, and that "Three other officers, a lawyer, and a bystander were wounded as the Sikhs sprayed the area for 15 minutes." Police said that the guards were too frightened to return fire. This fourth suspect remained in custody. Finally, the Courier article reported that the Sikhs looted "three rifles and a submachine gun" from the dead bodies, and that a 6th officer later succumbed to wounds from the attack.
The "Wilmington Morning Star" carried an AP
story, and related that 3 "Sikh extremists" killed 4 police officers inside the District Court complex, killed two officers who "were shot at the courtyard gate as the attackers fled", and wounded 4 other individuals, including a lawyer. The Star identified the freed suspects as Labh Singh, Gurinder Singh, and Swaranjit Singh, who were to appear in court on charges of slaying Ramesh Chander, a Hindu
newspaper editor. The Star reported that District Magistrate S.C. Aggarwal said 4 attackers fired over a compound wall from a lane. It further reported that others witnessed the attackers open fire from close range as police led the prisoners to the toilet. The report concluded with District Police Chief Baljit Singh Sandhu's statement that the attackers hard "fired at least 50 rounds" in the attack.
The "Eugene Register-Guardian" reported that District Magistrate S.C. Aggarwal said in a telephone interview that 3 or more attackers opened fire as 4 defendants accused of the May, 1984 slaying of Ramesh Chander, were being led into the compound, and that the attackers took 3 rifles from the slain police.
This single incident became a basis of Roberio’s “Bullet for bullet” policy.
's first leader, Manbir Singh Chaheru
was arrested and disappeared or died, Labh Singh took over the leadership of Khalistan Commando Force
.
One unnamed author speculated in "Genesis of terrorism: an analytical study of Punjab terrorists" that Labh Singh "perhaps" maintained his links with Babbar Khalsa International.
inside his headquarters in the city of Jalandhar, Punjab, India, with automatic weapons. One guard was killed, and Riberio, his wife, and four other officers were injured. Riberio's wound was minor, but his wife was hospitalized. Khalistan Commando Force
later claimed responsibility for this attack. KCF leader Labh Singh allegedly led the attack.
, Ludhiana; a part of this stolen money belonged to the Reserve Bank of India
, India's central bank. It was documented as “Biggest Bank Robbery” under “Curiosities and wonders” in Limca Book of Records
. The loot enabled the Khalistan Commando Force
to buy sophisticated weapons and AK-47 rifles. Sikh militants often used bank robberies to finance their campaign against the Indian government
.
The Chicago Sun-Times
reported that "12 to 15 Sikhs dressed as policemen and armed with submachine guns and rifles escaped with nearly $4.5 million in the biggest bank robbery in Indian history." "No one was injured." A Police spokesman described it as "a neat and clean operation".
Khalistan Commando Force
members who allegedly participated in the robbery included Harjinder Singh Jinda
, Mathra Singh, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, Satnam Singh Bawa, Gurnam Singh Bundala, Sukhdev Singh Sukha
, Daljit Singh Bittu, Gursharan Singh Gamma and Pritpal Singh.
, Hoshiarpur
, Punjab, India.
At that time, he was wanted in relation to the murder of a dozen policemen, newspaper editor Ramesh Chander, and an attempt on the former Punjab Police Chief Julio Francis Ribeiro
.
Amritsar
Police Superintendent Suresh Arora said "We have broken the back of the KCF
. Sukhdev Singh was the most dreaded of the terrorists."
The Tribune of India carried a report of a neighbor's statement that, after his death, many of his family emigrated to Canada
, though his father-in-law stayed on in Labh Singh's house. The neighbor further stated that the father-in-law committed suicide after police beat him "mercilessly", and that the house then remained deserted for several years, but that finally it has been taken over by his relatives.
Kanwaljit Singh Sultanwind succeeded Labh Singh as leader of the KCF.
The Tribune India reported in July 2006 that a Bhog
(Sikh religious ceremoney) for Labh Singh was held "in the past few months".
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...
police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officer who took command of the Khalistan Commando Force
Khalistan Commando Force
The Khalistan Commando Force or KCF is a private paramilitary organization operating in the Indian state of Punjab. According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India,...
after its first leader, Manbir Singh Chaheru
Manbir Singh Chaheru
Manbir Singh Chaheru was a founder and first leader of the Khalistan Commando Force.-Early life:...
, was arrested in 1986.
He was an associate of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was the leader of the Damdami Taksal, a Sikh religious group based in India, who supported implementation of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution. In 1981, Bhindranwale was arrested for his suspected involvement in the murder of Jagat Narain, the proprietor of the Hind...
and fought against the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
during Operation Bluestar.
He was involved in the attack on the Director-General of the Punjab Police, Julio Francis Ribeiro
Julio Francis Ribeiro
Julio Francis Ribeiro is a retired Indian police officer and civil servant.He held increasingly responsible positions during his career, and led the Punjab Police during part of the Punjab insurgency periods....
.
He allegedly masterminded what was then India's largest bank robbery, taking almost Rs. 6 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
($4.5 million) from the Punjab National Bank
Punjab National Bank
Punjab National Bank , was founded in 1894 and is currently the second largest state-owned commercial bank in India ahead of Bank of Baroda with about 5000 branches across 764 cities. It serves over 37 million customers. The bank has been ranked 248th biggest bank in the world by the Bankers...
, Miller Gunj branch, Ludhiana. which enabled the Khalistan Commando Force
Khalistan Commando Force
The Khalistan Commando Force or KCF is a private paramilitary organization operating in the Indian state of Punjab. According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India,...
to buy weapons.
Early life
Labh Singh's original name was Sukhdev Singh.He was also known as Sukha Sipahi.
He lived in the village of Panjwar, in Tehsil (sub-district) Patti
Patti, India
Patti is a city and a municipal council in the Tarn Taran district of the Indian state of Punjab, located 45 km from Amritsar. Patti is the town of Mai Bhago's husband who fought in support of Guru Gobind Singh Ji against the Mughals in the war of Muktsar...
in district 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...
and owned 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) of land.
He married Davinder Kaur.
Punjab Police service
After finishing his education at Baba Buddha Sahib College, Labh Singh joined the Punjab Police force in 1971 and served the force until he left his job in 1983.Association with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
Influenced by Jarnail Singh BhindranwaleJarnail Singh Bhindranwale
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was the leader of the Damdami Taksal, a Sikh religious group based in India, who supported implementation of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution. In 1981, Bhindranwale was arrested for his suspected involvement in the murder of Jagat Narain, the proprietor of the Hind...
, Labh Singh left the Punjab police in the early 80s, and joined the Sikh militant movement.
In May 1984, Labh Singh, Gursewak Singh Babla, Gurinder Singh and Swaranjit Singh were accused of killing Hind Samachar newspaper group editor Ramesh Chander,
who was an outspoken critic of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
and had written that Punjab had "become a slaughterhouse."
In a call to an Amritsar news agency, responsibility for the attack in Jullundur by four armed men was claimed by Sikh militant group Deshmesh Regiment
Dashmesh Regiment
The Dashmesh Regiment was a militant group, and is part of the Khalistan movement to create a Sikh homeland called Khalistan via armed struggle....
.
The caller was quoted as saying “Whoever speaks or writes against Saint Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale will be answered with bullets.”
During 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...
, he fought against the Indian Army with other Sikh militants.
He was arrested by the army after the operation.
Jailbreak
6 people were killed, and more injured, in a violent attack on the District court in JalandharJalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
, Punjab, India. Accounts of the attack, reported on April 6, 1986 in the US, differed. According to an unidentified source in Mahmood's "Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants", the attack was made by Sikh militant leader Manbir Singh Chaheru
Manbir Singh Chaheru
Manbir Singh Chaheru was a founder and first leader of the Khalistan Commando Force.-Early life:...
and his associates.
"The Courier" of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, US, carried a story attributed to UPI
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
stating that 3 "Sikh terrorists" killed 3 police officers who were taking 3 prisoners to a bathroom, while "16 armed court guards cowered in fear". The report stated that 2 police holding a 4th prisoner were also gunned down, and that "Three other officers, a lawyer, and a bystander were wounded as the Sikhs sprayed the area for 15 minutes." Police said that the guards were too frightened to return fire. This fourth suspect remained in custody. Finally, the Courier article reported that the Sikhs looted "three rifles and a submachine gun" from the dead bodies, and that a 6th officer later succumbed to wounds from the attack.
The "Wilmington Morning Star" carried an AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
story, and related that 3 "Sikh extremists" killed 4 police officers inside the District Court complex, killed two officers who "were shot at the courtyard gate as the attackers fled", and wounded 4 other individuals, including a lawyer. The Star identified the freed suspects as Labh Singh, Gurinder Singh, and Swaranjit Singh, who were to appear in court on charges of slaying Ramesh Chander, a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
newspaper editor. The Star reported that District Magistrate S.C. Aggarwal said 4 attackers fired over a compound wall from a lane. It further reported that others witnessed the attackers open fire from close range as police led the prisoners to the toilet. The report concluded with District Police Chief Baljit Singh Sandhu's statement that the attackers hard "fired at least 50 rounds" in the attack.
The "Eugene Register-Guardian" reported that District Magistrate S.C. Aggarwal said in a telephone interview that 3 or more attackers opened fire as 4 defendants accused of the May, 1984 slaying of Ramesh Chander, were being led into the compound, and that the attackers took 3 rifles from the slain police.
This single incident became a basis of Roberio’s “Bullet for bullet” policy.
KCF leadership
After KCFKhalistan Commando Force
The Khalistan Commando Force or KCF is a private paramilitary organization operating in the Indian state of Punjab. According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India,...
's first leader, Manbir Singh Chaheru
Manbir Singh Chaheru
Manbir Singh Chaheru was a founder and first leader of the Khalistan Commando Force.-Early life:...
was arrested and disappeared or died, Labh Singh took over the leadership of Khalistan Commando Force
Khalistan Commando Force
The Khalistan Commando Force or KCF is a private paramilitary organization operating in the Indian state of Punjab. According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India,...
.
One unnamed author speculated in "Genesis of terrorism: an analytical study of Punjab terrorists" that Labh Singh "perhaps" maintained his links with Babbar Khalsa International.
Attack on Director General of Punjab Police
Although account details differ, on October 3, 1986, men identified in the press as Sikh militants in police uniforms attacked Director-General Punjab Police Julio Francis RibeiroJulio Francis Ribeiro
Julio Francis Ribeiro is a retired Indian police officer and civil servant.He held increasingly responsible positions during his career, and led the Punjab Police during part of the Punjab insurgency periods....
inside his headquarters in the city of Jalandhar, Punjab, India, with automatic weapons. One guard was killed, and Riberio, his wife, and four other officers were injured. Riberio's wound was minor, but his wife was hospitalized. Khalistan Commando Force
Khalistan Commando Force
The Khalistan Commando Force or KCF is a private paramilitary organization operating in the Indian state of Punjab. According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India,...
later claimed responsibility for this attack. KCF leader Labh Singh allegedly led the attack.
Bank robbery
Labh Singh allegedly masterminded what was at that time the largest bank robbery in Indian history, netting almost 6 crore (58 million rupees-US$4.5 million) from Millar Ganj branch branch of Punjab National BankPunjab National Bank
Punjab National Bank , was founded in 1894 and is currently the second largest state-owned commercial bank in India ahead of Bank of Baroda with about 5000 branches across 764 cities. It serves over 37 million customers. The bank has been ranked 248th biggest bank in the world by the Bankers...
, Ludhiana; a part of this stolen money belonged to the Reserve Bank of India
Reserve Bank of India
The Reserve Bank of India is the central banking institution of India and controls the monetary policy of the rupee as well as US$300.21 billion of currency reserves. The institution was established on 1 April 1935 during the British Raj in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of...
, India's central bank. It was documented as “Biggest Bank Robbery” under “Curiosities and wonders” in Limca Book of Records
Limca Book of Records
Limca Book of Records is a record book of Indian origin. First published in 1990, when the Limca Brand was owned by Parle Group. The book continued to be published by Coca-Cola, when they bought the Limca Brand. The 20th edition of this book was released by Amitabh Bachchan in March 2009...
. The loot enabled the Khalistan Commando Force
Khalistan Commando Force
The Khalistan Commando Force or KCF is a private paramilitary organization operating in the Indian state of Punjab. According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India,...
to buy sophisticated weapons and AK-47 rifles. Sikh militants often used bank robberies to finance their campaign against the Indian government
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.
The Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
reported that "12 to 15 Sikhs dressed as policemen and armed with submachine guns and rifles escaped with nearly $4.5 million in the biggest bank robbery in Indian history." "No one was injured." A Police spokesman described it as "a neat and clean operation".
Khalistan Commando Force
Khalistan Commando Force
The Khalistan Commando Force or KCF is a private paramilitary organization operating in the Indian state of Punjab. According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India,...
members who allegedly participated in the robbery included Harjinder Singh Jinda
Harjinder Singh Jinda
Harjinder Singh Jinda was a member of a Sikh organization Khalistan Commando Force and one of the two assassins of Arun Vaidya . He was responsible for three high-profile killings; Arjan Dass, Lalit Maken and Gen. Vaidya...
, Mathra Singh, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, Satnam Singh Bawa, Gurnam Singh Bundala, Sukhdev Singh Sukha
Sukhdev Singh Sukha
Sukhdev Singh Sukha was a member of the militant organization Khalistan Commando Force and one of the assassins of Arun Vaidya, the Chief of Indian army at the time of Operation Bluestar and also the architect of Operation Bluestar. He was responsible for three high-profile killings; Arjan Dass,...
, Daljit Singh Bittu, Gursharan Singh Gamma and Pritpal Singh.
Death
In June 1988, the Panthic committee appointed Labh Singh a high priest, but on 12 July 1988 he was killed in an encounter with police near TandaTanda
Tanda may refer to:places* Tanda, Côte d'Ivoire* Tanda, Egypt* Tanda, Gujrat* Tanda, belakang belindov candra* Tanda, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa*Tanda, Nigertowns in India* Tanda, Ambedaker Nagar* Urmar Tanda* Tanda, Rampurothers* Tanda , a coaster...
, Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur is a city and a municipal council in Hoshiarpur district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was founded, according to tradition, during the early part of the fourth century. In 1809 it was occupied by the forces of Maharaja Karanvir Singh and was united into the greater state of Punjab....
, Punjab, India.
At that time, he was wanted in relation to the murder of a dozen policemen, newspaper editor Ramesh Chander, and an attempt on the former Punjab Police Chief Julio Francis Ribeiro
Julio Francis Ribeiro
Julio Francis Ribeiro is a retired Indian police officer and civil servant.He held increasingly responsible positions during his career, and led the Punjab Police during part of the Punjab insurgency periods....
.
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...
Police Superintendent Suresh Arora said "We have broken the back of the KCF
Khalistan Commando Force
The Khalistan Commando Force or KCF is a private paramilitary organization operating in the Indian state of Punjab. According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India,...
. Sukhdev Singh was the most dreaded of the terrorists."
The Tribune of India carried a report of a neighbor's statement that, after his death, many of his family emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, though his father-in-law stayed on in Labh Singh's house. The neighbor further stated that the father-in-law committed suicide after police beat him "mercilessly", and that the house then remained deserted for several years, but that finally it has been taken over by his relatives.
Kanwaljit Singh Sultanwind succeeded Labh Singh as leader of the KCF.
The Tribune India reported in July 2006 that a Bhog
Bhog
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:...
(Sikh religious ceremoney) for Labh Singh was held "in the past few months".