Satwant Singh

{{Short description|Sikh bodyguard and assassin of Indira Gandhi (1962–1989)}}

{{Infobox criminal

| name = Satwant Singh

| native_name =

| caption =

| birth_name = Satwant Singh

| birth_date = 1962

| birth_place = Agwan, Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur, Punjab

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1989|01|06|1962|df=y}}

| death_place = Tihar Jail, New Delhi, India

| death_cause = Execution by hanging

| occupation = Bodyguard of the Prime Minister of India

| employer = Government of India

| criminal_penalty = Death

| spouse = {{marriage|Surinder Kaur|1988|2011|reason=died- had cancer}}

| awards =

| parents =

| conviction = Assassination of Indira Gandhi

| conviction_status = Executed

| image = Photograph_of_Satwant_Singh,_one_of_two_assassins_of_Indira_Gandhi.jpg

| title = Quomi Shaheed (National Martyr) by Akal Takht{{cite web |title=Sri Akal Takht Sahib honours Bhai Satwant Singh and Bhai Kehar Singh |url=https://singhstation.net/2014/01/sri-akal-takht-sahib-honours-bhai-satwant-singh-and-bhai-kehar-singh/ |website=SinghStation |date=6 January 2014 |quote=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.}}

}}

Satwant Singh (1962 – 6 January 1989) was one of the bodyguards, along with Beant Singh, who assassinated the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, at her New Delhi residence on 31 October 1984. His attacks were in retaliation of Indira Gandhi's Operation Blue Star.{{cite news |date=31 October 1984 |title=1984: Assassination and revenge |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/witness/october/31/newsid_3961000/3961851.stm |url-status=live |access-date=15 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215211511/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/witness/october/31/newsid_3961000/3961851.stm |archive-date=15 February 2009}}

Assassination

The motivation for the assassination of Indira Gandhi was revenge for the military operation carried out by the Indian government on Harmandir Sahib, in Amritsar, India.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2004/jun/10spec1.htm|title=Why Osama resembles Bhindranwale|website=Rediff|access-date=2019-03-22}}{{cite book |last1=Crenshaw |first1=Martha |title=Terrorism in Context |date= 2010 |publisher=Penn State Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9nFyZaZGthgC |page=381 |isbn=9780271044422 |access-date=8 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708162242/https://books.google.com/books?id=9nFyZaZGthgC |archive-date=8 July 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-operation-blue-star-india-s-first-tryst-with-militant-extremism-2270293|title=Operation Blue Star: India's first tryst with militant extremism |date=5 November 2016|website=Dnaindia.com|access-date=29 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103012225/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-operation-blue-star-india-s-first-tryst-with-militant-extremism-2270293|archive-date=3 November 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=RAW chief consulted MI6 in build-up to Operation Bluestar |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/raw-chief-consulted-mi6-in-buildup-to-operation-bluestar/article5579516.ece |newspaper=The Hindu |date=16 January 2014 |location=Chennai, India |first=Praveen |last=Swami}}

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 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.{{cite news|last=Smith|first=William E.|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,926929-2,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110185009/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,926929-2,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 November 2007|title=Indira Gandhi: Death in the Garden|publisher=Time|date=12 November 1984|access-date=19 January 2013}}Cynthia Keppley Mahmood, {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8QufTc6fAocC&dq=Satwant+Singh+indira&pg=RA1-PA135|title=Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues With Sikh Militants|access-date=19 January 2013|isbn=978-0812215922|last1=Mahmood|first1=Cynthia Keppley|date=November 1996|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press }}

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-conspirator Kehar 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 and Rajiv Gandhi. The execution was carried out on 6 January 1989.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/31/newsid_2464000/2464423.stm|title=Indian prime minister shot dead|publisher=BBC}}

Aftermath

The assassination of Gandhi brought their immediate families into the limelight,{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/asia_correspondent/india89assassinwifewt.html|title=SAMRALA INDIA Widow of Mrs. Gandhi's Killer Seeks Seat in Parliament by Richard S Ehrlich|date=26 October 2009|website=Geocities.com|access-date=2 August 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026145354/http://www.geocities.com/asia_correspondent/india89assassinwifewt.html|archive-date=26 October 2009}} resulting in their winning two Lok Sabha seats from state of Punjab.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/22/world/india-s-new-chief-given-a-go-ahead.html|title=India's New Chief Given A Go-Ahead|work=The New York Times|date=22 December 1989|access-date=19 January 2013}} The Lok Sabha is a directly elected 543 member house of the Parliament of India.

In the aftermath of the executions of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh, communal violence occurred in Punjab, resulting in 14 Hindus being killed by militants.{{cite news|agency=Reuters|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/08/world/sikhs-kill-14-hindus-after-executions-in-india.html|title=Sikhs Kill 14 Hindus After Executions in India|work=The New York Times|date=8 January 1989|access-date=19 January 2013}}{{cite book|title=City of the Djinns|author=William Darlympal}}

In 2003, a Bhog ceremony was held at the highest Sikh temporal seat in Akal Takht, located in the Golden Temple Complex in Amritsar, where tributes were paid to Indira Gandhi's assassins.{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030107/punjab1.htm#19|title=The Tribune|publisher=Tribuneindia.com|date=7 January 2003|access-date=13 October 2012}}

In 2004, the anniversary of his death 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040107/punjab1.htm#3|title=The Tribune|publisher=Tribuneindia.com|access-date=19 January 2013}} In 2007, the death anniversaries of Satwant Singh and his wife were observed in various parts of Punjab and other countries. On 6 January 2008, the Akal Takht declared Beant Singh and Satwant Singh "martyrs of Sikhism",{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/07/stories/2008010762501200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110102918/http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/07/stories/2008010762501200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 January 2008|title=Indira Gandhi killers labelled martyrs|access-date=13 October 2012|work=The Hindu|date=2008-01-07|location=Chennai, India}}{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indira-assassin-great-martyr-vedanti/258427|title=Indira assassin 'great martyr': Vedanti|work=The Indian Express|date=7 January 2008|access-date=13 October 2012}} while the SGPC 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081101/bathinda.htm#3|title=The Tribune|website=Tribuneindia.com|access-date=13 October 2012}} Every 31 October since, this date has been observed at Sri Akal Takht Sahib.{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091101/punjab.htm#4|title=The Tribune|publisher=Tribuneindia.com|access-date=17 October 2012}}

A film called Kaum de Heere was made about him in 2014.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/delhi-hc-clears-release-of-punjabi-movie-kaum-de-heere/824741.html|title=The Tribune}}

Personal life

Singh's father was Tarlok Singh. He married Surinder Kaur (daughter of Virsa Singh) on 2 May 1988 while he was in prison.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/01/world/indira-gandhi-killers-to-be-hanged-friday.html|title=Indira Gandhi Killers To Be Hanged Friday - New York Times|work=The New York Times|date=1 December 1988|access-date=19 January 2013}} His fiancé wed him in absentia by "marrying" his photo in an Anand Karaj.{{cite web|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB327F5ABACEE6D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=STLtoday.com|publisher=Nl.newsbank.com|date=9 June 1988|access-date=19 January 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB33870521ECEF3&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Miami Herald: Search Results|website=nl.newsbank.com|access-date=2 August 2017}}