KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
22-Dec-1981
Jathedar Santokh Singh, leader of Akali Dal (Tara Singh) and President of Delhi Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, shot dead by terrorists in a West Delhi colony..
19-Nov-1981
Police Inspector Pritam Singh Bajwa, Head Constable Ujjagar Singh, and Constables Kesar and Surat Singh killed in an encounter in Daheru village in Ludhiana district. The police team was conducting a search operation to arrest Tarsem Singh Kalasinghian, who escaped with all the militants hiding in the house of Amarjit Singh Nihang..
09-Nov-1981
Three followers of Bhindranwale die while assembling bombs at Gurudwara Gurdarshan Prakash Mehta Chowk.
18-Oct-1981
Akali Dal presents its 15 point demands.
15-Oct-1981
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale is released from detention after India’s Home Minister, Giani Zail Singh tells Parliament that the courts lacked evidence against him.
20-Sep-1981
Minority communities attacked in Jalandhar and Tarn Taran.
20-Sep-1981
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale arrested in Chowk Mehta in Amritsar. Seventeen Damdami Taksal supporters killed when they attack the police team. Several followers of Bhindranwale and Shiromani Akali Dal arrested for inciting communal violence at various places in the state.
16-Sep-1981
Confrontation between police and Khalsa College students in Amritsar.
13-Sep-1981
A team of Punjab Police sent to arrest Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale attacked and fired at by his followers at Chando Kalan in Haryana.
09-Sep-1981
The chief editor of Hind Samachar, Lala Jagat Narain shot dead near Ladowal village in Ludhiana. A strong critic of the Khalistan movement, he had survived an earlier assassination attempt in January 1981.
27-Aug-1981
During the visitors’ gathering session at Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Dal Khalsa activists headed by Satnam Singh raise pro-Khalistan slogans.
15-Aug-1981
Around 20 Dal Khalsa volunteers hoist a “Nishan Kesari” flag at Sector 22-D Gurudwara and Manji Sahib in Amritsar, and subsequently in Ludhiana and Jalandhar, where they also raise pro-Khalistan slogans. .
26-Jul-1981
During the World Sikh Convention in Amritsar, Gajinder Singh, a Panch of Dal Khalsa and his associates distribute pro-Khalistan literature.
12-Jul-1981
The working committee of AISSF expresses resentment over anti-Sikh articles published in the Jalandhar based vernacular papers, especially one belonging to Lala Jagat Narain. Narain asked to apologize by August 22 or face dire consequences..
23-May-1981
SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra demands holy status for Amritsar and the closure of all tobacco, cigarette and liquor shops in the city.
20-Mar-1981
Dal Khalsa workers raise pro-Khalistan slogans during the 54th Sikh educational conference at Chandigarh.
20-Mar-1981
Around 85 Dal Khalsa volunteers take out a procession demanding the creation of Khalistan at Anandpur Sahib in Amritsar.
01-Feb-1981
Dal Khalsa organizes a joint-seminar with senior Sikh Sophisticates’ Forum in support of Khalistan at Panchayat Bhawan in Chandigarh.
07-Dec-1980
A meeting convened by Balbir Singh Sandhu decides to woo students in favour of Khalistan. Sandhu assigned the task of establishing contact with various educational institutions by liaising with AISSF (All India Sikh Students’ Federation) and Khalistan Mukti Morcha.
05-Dec-1980
In a meeting held at Guru Nanak Niwas in Amritsar, Balbir Singh Sandhu decides to organize route marches and intensify the propaganda for the creation of Khalistan. A 151-member Khalistan Council (100 from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab and 51 from foreign countries), headed by Jagjit Singh Chouhan is also announced.