Satwant Singh
Encyclopedia
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
.
The assassination of Indira Gandhi was motivated by Operation Blue Star
, an attack on Sikh separatists holed up in Golden Temple
complex in Amritsar
, India
. Satwant Singh and Beant Singh
fired thirty three bullets into Indira Gandhi's chest and abdomen. Initially Beant Singh drew a .38 revolver and fired three shots into Indira Gandhi
's abdomen. As she fell to the ground, Satwant Singh fired all 30 rounds from his Sten automatic weapon into her body
as
Beant Singh
was killed by gunfire soon after the assassination after he and Satwant had surrendered. Satwant Singh was arrested and later sentenced to death along with conspirator Kehar Singh
. The sentence was carried out on January 6, 1989. Satwant Singh was the last man to be hanged in Tihar Jail
in Delhi
He was in high spirit even at the final moments of his life.
The Indian government did not hand over the bodies of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh to their next of kin. Their bodies were cremated within Tihar jail.
The last wish of both Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh was that their ashes be taken to Shri Kiratpur Sahib. Citing concerns about possible violence, the authorities refused to turn even the ashes over to the relatives for use in religious ceremonies.
seats from state of Punjab
. The Lok Sabha is a directly elected 552 member lower house of the Parliament of India
. Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
was also an elected member of the same house
.
ceremony was held at Akal Takhat, Amritsar where tributes were paid to Satwant Singh and Beant Singh
.
In the year 2004, his death anniversary was again observed at Akal Takhat, Amritsar, where his mother was honored by the head priest and tributes were paid to Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh
by various political parties.
In the year 2007, the death anniversaries of Satwant Singh and his wife were observed in various parts of Punjab
and other countries.
On January 6, 2008 the highest Sikh temporal seat (Akal Takhat, Amritsar
) declared Satwant 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
.
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
bodyguard to the Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, who on October 31, 1984 assassinated Indira Gandhi at her residence along with another bodyguard, Beant Singh
Beant Singh (assassin)
Beant Singh , born in Jaitu in the Faridkot district of Punjab , was one of Indira Gandhi's assassins...
.
The assassination of Indira Gandhi 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...
, an attack on Sikh separatists holed up in Golden Temple
Harmandir Sahib
The Harmandir Sahib also Darbar Sahib , also referred to as the Golden Temple, is a prominent Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab . Construction of the gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev...
complex in 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...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Satwant 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...
fired thirty three bullets into Indira Gandhi's chest and abdomen. Initially Beant Singh drew a .38 revolver and fired three shots into Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
's abdomen. As she fell to the ground, Satwant Singh fired all 30 rounds from his Sten automatic weapon into her body
as
Beant Singh
Beant Singh (assassin)
Beant Singh , born in Jaitu in the Faridkot district of Punjab , was one of Indira Gandhi's assassins...
was killed by gunfire soon after the assassination after he and Satwant had surrendered. Satwant Singh was arrested and later sentenced to death along with conspirator Kehar Singh
Kehar Singh
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...
. The sentence was carried out on January 6, 1989. Satwant Singh was the last man to be hanged in Tihar Jail
Tihar Jail
Tihar Prisons , also called Tihar Jail and Tihar Ashram , is the largest complex of prisons in South Asia. It is located at Tihar village, approximately 7 km from Chanakya Puri, to the west of New Delhi, India. The surrounding area is called Hari Nagar.The prison is maintained as a...
in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
He was in high spirit even at the final moments of his life.
Day of the execution
On 6 January 1989, Kehar Singh and Satwant Singh were hanged.The Indian government did not hand over the bodies of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh to their next of kin. Their bodies were cremated within Tihar jail.
The last wish of both Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh was that their ashes be taken to Shri Kiratpur Sahib. Citing concerns about possible violence, the authorities refused to turn even the ashes over to the relatives for use in religious ceremonies.
Afterwards
Their acts brought their immediate families into limelight, resulting in their winning two Lok SabhaLok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
seats from state 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...
. The Lok Sabha is a directly elected 552 member lower house of the Parliament of India
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
. Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
was also an elected member of the same house
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
.
Sikh Clergy Actions
In the year 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 Satwant Singh and Beant Singh
Beant Singh
There are at least two people called Beant Singh:*Beant Singh, who assassinated Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi*Beant Singh, the assassinated Chief Minister of the Punjab...
.
In the year 2004, his death anniversary was again observed at Akal Takhat, Amritsar, where his mother was honored by the head priest and tributes were paid to Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh
Kehar Singh
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...
by various political parties.
In the year 2007, the death anniversaries of Satwant Singh and his wife were observed in various parts of Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
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 Satwant Singh and other assassins of former prime minister Indira Gandhi martyrs of Sikhism SGPC also paid homage to both Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh
Kehar Singh
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...
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
Aftermath of execution of Satwant Singh & Kehar Singh
It was reported in the Indian press that during the aftermath of the executions of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh, communal violence occurred in Punjab.Personal life
Singh's mother was Piar Kaur. He married Surinder Kaur (daughter of Mr. Virsa Singh) on May 2, 1988 while he was in jail. His fiance married him in his absence by marrying his photo in an Anand KarajAnand Karaj
Anand Karaj is the Sikh marriage ceremony, meaning "Blissful Union" or "Joyful Union", that was introduced by Guru Amar Das. The four Lavan were composed by his successor, Guru Ram Das...
.