Quick Info
| Profession | Human Rights Activist |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 01/01/1952 |
| Age | 43 years (died on 28, Oct, 1995) |
| Birthplace | Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Date of Death | 28/10/1995 |
Latest News about Jaswant Singh Khalra
The Government of British Columbia proclaimed September 6, 2025, as Jaswant Singh Khalra Day across the province to mark the 30th anniversary of his abduction and murder. The proclamation recognizes his work exposing mass abductions, killings, and secret cremations of thousands of Sikhs by Punjab Police in the 1980s and 1990s. It was signed by Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia and highlights his 1995 visit to Canada where he addressed Parliament and shared his findings.
The Sikh Coalition launched an advocacy toolkit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Jaswant Singh Khalra's murder on September 6, 1995. The toolkit assists Sikh communities nationwide in seeking local proclamations at state, city, county, and school board levels to honor his legacy of exposing enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and secret cremations during the post-1984 Sikh persecution. Six Punjab Police officials were convicted of his murder ten years later.
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Physical Stats & More
| Eye Color | Black |
|---|---|
| Hair Color | Salt & Pepper |
Educational Qualification(s)
| College/University | Baba Budha College, Bir Sahib |
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| Educational Qualification | A degree in Law |
Personal Life
| Place of Death | Chabal police station of Amritsar district |
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| Age (at the time of death) | 43 Years |
| Death Cause | Shot dead after abduction and illegal detention by Punjab Police |
Relationships & More
| Marital Status (at the time of death) | Married |
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| Marriage Date | Year, 1981 |
Family
| Wife | Paramjit Kaur (human rights activist, politician) | ||||
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Career
| Director at a bank in Amritsar during the Punjab militancy period. | |
| General Secretary of the Human Rights Wing of the Akali Dal political party. | |
| Researched and exposed extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and secret cremations of over 25,000 Sikhs by Punjab Police in the 1980s and 1990s. | |
| Investigated specific cases including the custodial killing of Behla, the human-shield case involving seven civilians, and illegal cremations in Tarn Taran district where 2,097 bodies were unlawfully cremated. |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Jaswant Singh Khalra (1952-1995) researched extrajudicial killings of Sikhs during 1984 anti-Sikh riots. | |
| 2. His family had a history of activism and social justice. | |
| 3. Khalra was active in student activism and protested government corruption. | |
| 4. He married Paramjit Kaur, a fellow human rights activist. | |
| 5. Khalra exposed secret cremations and implicated government officials in Punjab Police. | |
| 6. Abducted and killed by Punjab Police in 1995. | |
| 7. His wife, Paramjit Kaur, sought justice and secured convictions for his murder. | |
| 8. Their children, Janmeet Singh and Navkiran Kaur, carry on his human rights advocacy. | |
| 9. Abducted on 6 September 1995 while washing his car outside his home in Amritsar by Punjab Police personnel and taken to Jhabal Police Station. | |
| 10. Six Punjab Police officials were convicted of his abduction and murder, with four sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007 by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. |