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Beant Singh (assassin)

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Beant Singh
Born
Beant Singh

(1959-01-06)6 January 1959
Jaitu, East Punjab, India
Died31 October 1984(1984-10-31) (aged 25)
New Delhi, India
Cause of deathShot by police officers after assassinating Indira Gandhi
OccupationBodyguard of the Prime Minister of India
EmployerGovernment of India
TitleQuomi Shaheed (National Martyr) by Akal Takht[1]
Criminal chargeAssassination of Indira Gandhi
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1976)​
ChildrenSarabjeet Singh Khalsa
FatherBaba Sucha Singh

Beant Singh (6 January 1959 – 31 October 1984) was one of the two bodyguards who assassinated the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, at her New Delhi residence on 31 October 1984.[2]

Early life and family

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Photograph of Beant Singh in ceremonial garb

Beant Singh was born in a Ramdasia Sikh[3] to Baba Sucha Singh and Kartar Kaur.

Singh's widow Bimal Kaur Khalsa initially joined the Sikh militant group,[4] and then got imprisoned. Later she was elected from Ropar Constituency. His father, Baba Sucha Singh, was also an elected member of the Lok Sabha from Bathinda (Lok Sabha constituency).[5][6][7]

Their son Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa was elected to the Lok Sabha from Faridkot in 2024.[8]

Assassination of Indira Gandhi and death

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Main article: Assassination of Indira Gandhi

The motivation for the assassination of Indira Gandhi was revenge for Operation Bluestar carried out by the Indian government in Harmandir Sahib, in Amritsar, India.

Gandhi passed a wicket gate guarded by Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, and the two men opened fire. Beant fired three rounds into her abdomen from his .38 (9.7 mm) revolver, then Satwant fired 30 rounds from his Sterling sub-machine gun after she had fallen to the ground. Beant Singh was immediately killed by other guards present and Satwant Singh was hanged in 1989 with accomplice Kehar Singh.

Legacy

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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.

In 2004, his death anniversary was again observed at Akal Takht, Amritsar, where his mother was honored by the head priest and tributes were paid to Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh by various political parties.[9]

On 6 January 2008, the Akal Takht declared Beant Singh and Satwant Singh 'martyrs of Sikhism'.[10][11][12]

Shiromani Akali Dal, the Sikhism-centric political party in India, observed the death anniversary of Beant Singh and Satwant Singh as 'martyrdom' for the first time on 31 October 2008;[13] every 31 October since, their 'martyrdom day' has been observed at Sri Akal Takht Sahib.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Sri Akal Takht Sahib honours Bhai Satwant Singh and Bhai Kehar Singh". SinghStation. 6 January 2014. Subsequently, the Akal Takht and the SGPC, granted Beant Singh, Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh, the status of "Quami shaheed" (Martyrs of the Sikh community). Their portraits have also been displayed at the Sikh Museum inside the Golden Temple complex. Their relatives have been honored at Akal Takht at every anniversary of their execution, for the last 24 years.
  2. ^ "1984: Assassination and revenge". BBC News. 31 October 1984. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  3. ^ Singh, Pukhraj. "Bluestar Baby Boomers". Newslaundry. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Sikhs Sought in Slaying". The New York Times. India; Amritsar (India). 6 June 1986. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  5. ^ Crossette, Barbara (22 December 1989). "India's New Chief Given A Go-Ahead - New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  6. ^ MyNews.in. "'Father didn't kill Indira Gandhi to make Sikhs happy': Beant Singh's son". MyNews.in. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  7. ^ "Family profile". Indiaenews.com. 28 September 2012. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ "'Vote against jail': How two Modi critics won India election from prison". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  9. ^ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Punjab". Tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  10. ^ "Chandigarh, India - Punjab". Tribuneindia.com. 7 January 2003.
  11. ^ "National: Indira Gandhi killers labelled martyrs". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 7 January 2003. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  12. ^ "Indira assassin 'great martyr': Vedanti". The Indian Express. 7 January 2003. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  13. ^ "Chandigarh, India - Bathinda Edition". Tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Chandigarh, India - Punjab". Tribuneindia.com. 1 November 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
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