Jaswant Khalra’s Widow Demands People’s Commission on Punjab Disappearances

Paramjit Kaur Khalra, widow of slain human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, has called for the formation of a people's commission to determine the number of individuals who disappeared or were killed in alleged fake encounters during Punjab's militancy period. The appeal came ahead of a special prayer gathering, or Ardas, scheduled for Tuesday at Harike Pattan, the site where Khalra's body is believed to have been disposed of after his abduction and murder in 1995.

In a statement posted on social media, Khalra urged Punjabis, the Sikh community, and human rights supporters to unite in seeking truth and accountability. She proposed that an independent commission ascertain the scale of enforced disappearances, alleged fake encounters, and unidentified bodies from the 1980s and 1990s. She also demanded that victims identified through Khalra's work be honoured in the Central Sikh Museum and sought financial aid from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for affected families.

Khalra alleged that successive governments—both at the state and central levels—had failed to deliver justice to victims' families and instead protected police officers accused of human rights violations. She named several former police officers and claimed that governments led by different political parties had extended patronage to them. She further alleged that the present Punjab government helped some convicted police personnel evade justice, and referred to allegations against the BJP-led Union government regarding targeted killings abroad.

Appealing to Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, to provide impartial leadership, Khalra said no political party or individual should be above accountability. She stressed that those responsible for human rights violations, denial of justice, or concealment of truth must be held answerable, and cautioned against using the issue for political gain.

Jaswant Singh Khalra gained national prominence in the early 1990s for documenting alleged secret cremations of unidentified bodies by Punjab Police during the militancy period. He was abducted outside his Amritsar home on September 6, 1995, allegedly by police personnel, and later killed in custody. Investigators concluded that his body was disposed of in the Harike canal. Several police personnel were convicted in the case, but the broader issue of disappearances and alleged fake encounters remains unresolved.

The appeal comes amid renewed attention to Khalra's legacy following the release of 'Satluj,' a film inspired by his life. The film was removed from the OTT platform ZEE5 on July 12 within 48 hours of its release, without detailed official explanation. On July 14, the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib called for the special Ardas at Harike Pattan to pray for peace for victims of alleged fake encounters and disappearances, honouring Khalra's legacy.