Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala

Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala
2nd Jathedar of Malwa Kesri Commando Force
Preceded byWaryam Singh Khappianwali
Succeeded byNone (merged with Khalistan Liberation Force)
3rd Jathedar of Khalistan Liberation Force
Preceded byAvtar Singh Brahma
Succeeded byNavneet Singh Quadia
Personal details
Born29 June 1966 (1966-06-29)
Village Budhsinghwala, Faridkot district Punjab (Now Moga district), India
Died29 July 1992(1992-07-29) (aged 26)
Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Known for
  • Attacks and Killings of Police, Paramilitary, and Army
  • Attacks and Killings of Various Politicians
  • Attack at Nehru Park killing 25 and injuring 31-35 mostly Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh members
  • Kidnapping son of Superintendent of Police Des Raj
  • Kidnapping Romanian charge d’affaires Lividu Radu
NicknameBudhsinghwala
Military service
AllegianceKhalistan Liberation Force
Malwa Kesri Commando Force
Years of service1984 - 1992
RankGeneral
Jathedar
Battles/warsInsurgency in Punjab

Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala (29 June 1966 – 29 July 1992) was a Sikh martyr and the third Jathedar of the Khalistan Liberation Force. Budhsinghwala's organization, KLF, was one of the most active Sikh militant groups of the time.[1] Budhsinghwala had KLF join the Sohan Singh Panthic Committee and partnered with Khalistan Commando Force (Panjwar), Babbar Khalsa, Bhindranwale Tiger Force (Sangha), and Sikh Student Federation (Bittu) in militant actions. Budhsinghwala is also credited with making KLF one of the strongest and most lethal militant groups.[2]

He has been accused of planning and carrying out attacks that killed over 1,000 people[3] including some major acts such as the killing the police chief of Patiala district Avinder Singh Brar and his junior,[4][5] killing of 70 soldiers at a railway station,[6] killing Commandant Gobind Ram,[7] an assassination attempt on Beant Singh,[8] an attack on chief of Punjab Police DGP Mangat,[9] an attack on former chief of Punjab Police JF Riberio in Romania,[10] an attack India's Home Minister Subodh Kant Sahay,[11] killing the SYL’s chief engineer shutting the project down,[12] killing Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Balwant Singh,[13] a role in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi,[14] along with various attacks on police, CRPF, NSG, BSF, and the Indian army.[15]

  1. ^ Sandhu, Amandeep (5 December 2022). Panjab: Journeys Through Fault Lines. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-93-5492-859-8.
  2. ^ Chima, Jugdep S. (2010). The Sikh Separatist Insurgency in India: Political Leadership and Ethnonationalist Movements. SAGE India. p. 223. ISBN 978-81-321-1286-0.
  3. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (31 July 1992). "Top Sikh Guerrilla Leader Reported Killed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  4. ^ "ਪਟਿਆਲਾ ਦੇ ਦੋ ਐਸ. ਐਸ. ਪੀ. ਦਾ ਕਤਲ". Ajit. 15 December 1987. p. 1.
  5. ^ Jaruhar, Manjari (25 July 2022). Madam Sir: The Story of Bihar's First Lady IPS Officer. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-93-5492-677-8.
  6. ^ World Sikh News (Punjabi) Page 2 July 5 1991
  7. ^ Frontline. S. Rangarajan for Kasturi & Sons. 1992. p. 31.
  8. ^ Frontline. S. Rangarajan for Kasturi & Sons. 1995. p. 30.
  9. ^ "Police morale at low ebb in Punjab". India Today. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Attack on Indian ambassador to Romania Julio Ribeiro baffles investigators". India Today. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  11. ^ Fineman, Mark (16 June 1991). "Sikhs Storm 2 Trains, Kill 110 in Punjab". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  12. ^ WSN. "2 SYL officials shot dead". SIKH HERITAGE EDUCATION. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  13. ^ Frontline. S. Rangarajan for Kasturi & Sons. May 1992. p. 6.
  14. ^ Subramanian, Nirupama; Baweja, Harinder (30 June 1995). "Rajiv Gandhi killing: Jain Commission investigates likelihood of wider conspiracy". India Today. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  15. ^ India Today. Living Media India Pvt. Limited. 1988. p. 26.