Assassination of CM Butcher Beanta

 

Beant Singh became the Chief Minister of Punjab on 25thFebruary 1995, with only 10% of votes and now Punjab was under the rule of Congress. Majority of the Panthic parties had boycotted the elections and the minority that did vote and given the power to the Congress party. In reality this was a one sided win for Congress.

After becoming the Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh gave open orders to evil men like KPS Gill, Sumedh Saini, Ajit Singh Sandhu, Izhar Alam and Ajit Phoola Nang to eliminate the Sikh freedom fighters. These orders made the Indian security forces treat Sikhs with brutality and unfairly. Everyday under rule of Beant Singh, Sikh youth were hunted and killed, the Indian security forces were killing Sikhs like mad dogs for higher ranks. Punjab had been flooded with fake police encounters. No day would pass without the police killing 8-10 Sikhs. Beant Singh had put rewards on the head of Singh. The police were also given orders to loot and kill suspicious (innocent) Sikh families. Dead bodies were seen on every street of Punjab. The Punjab police had killed innocent families and destroyed homes. Punjab had become the battlefield of Kurukshetra, dead bodies were all over Punjab. Beant Singh and KPS Gill had drowned Punjab in blood. There was no sign of this mass murder of Sikhs coming to an end, the only way to finish this was to eliminate Beant Singh before he eliminates the Sikhs, killing Beant Singh would solve all the problems of Punjab.

Bhai Wadhawa Singh Babbar, Bhai Mahal Singh Babbar and Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara held a meeting in Lahore, Pakistan in the month of November 1994. These singhs of Babbar Khalsa International had met up to find a solution of the killings of Sikhs in Punjab. “Not once, not twice but I have said many times that the killer of Punjab, CM Beant Singh must be killed as soon as possible.” This is what Bhai Wadhawa Singh Babbar said to his fellow singhs.

“Since this evil man CM Beant Singh has come into power, Punjab has turned into a slaughter house. There is not a single house in Punjab where we can’t hear mourns of a young death, there is not a single place in Punjab where there aren’t any dead bodies of Sikhs lying on the ground.” Bhai Mahal Singh Babbar added his thoughts.

“If this killing of Sikhs is not stopped then Khalistan will remain a dream. I will stop CM Beant Singh, even if it means I have to die.” Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara said fearlessly.

“It won’t be easy killing the Chief Minister of Punjab. He has been given the Z security. We have to make a perfect plan to have any chance of completing this mission.” Said Bhai Wadhawa Singh Babbar and continued to say, “Beside Z security, Beant Singh has to groups of NSG, 120 commandoes of CRPF and 100 self-chosen police officers from Punjab police force protecting him. Breaking through these security forces to get to Beant Singh isn’t just difficult, it’s impossible.”

“Beant Singh can have as much security as he wants, I will definitely get to him.” Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara said with confidence, “He can’t have more security then Indira Gandhi. If singhs can read her Kirtan Sohila then of which farms daikon is Beant Singh.”

“If you can complete this mission, then okay. Tell us how we can assist you in this mission.” Said Bhai Mahal Singh Babbar as he wanted to finish Beant Singh off at all costs, because since Beant Singh the Chief Minister came into power the Khalistan movement was dying day by day.

“Reaching Beant Singh is my responsibility that is my promise. You guys get me the currency and the goods to carry out this mission.” Said Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara. A great idea was coming together in the mind of Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara. In Pakistan, Bhai Hawara was given the training of combat and making bombs at the Khadku training camp of Pakistan.

“Okay.” Bhai Wadhawa Singh Babbar and Bhai Mahal Singh Babbar gave the answer to Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara’s question. “We will provide the money and the RDX, let us know how much you need. That’s our responsibility, you don’t stress about that.”

After making the plan of Beant Singh’s assassination, Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara came back to Punjab, India. Bhai Hawara met Bhai Dilawar Singh and Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, both of these singhs were police officers. Bhai Hawara now knew that the mission was possible with the inside help. Bhai Dilawar Singh was good friends with Bhai Lakhwinder Singh Lakha as they both worked in the police force and also lived in the same area, Guru Nanak Colony of Patiala. Bhai Dilawar Singh had been suspended from the police force. Bhai Lakha had another friend, Bhai Gurmeet Singh Engineer who worked in the BPL branch in Chandigarh. Bhai Lakha introduced Bhai Dilawar Singh to Bhai Engineer. Bhai Lakha and Bhai Engineer had links with Babbar Khalsa’s well-known Khadku, Bhai Jagtar Sigh Tara. These singhs always met in a rented house in the Uttar Pardesh state’s village Ratoli, this was done to not come under the radar. The singhs would regularly meet to plan the assassination of Beant Singh. Here the singhs also met Bhai Paramjit Singh Bheora and Bhai Shamsher Singh Shere. Bhai Shere was a truck driver and knew Bhai Hawara and Bhai Tara. Bhai Shere also introduced Bhai Hawara and Bhai Tara to rest of the singhs in village Ratoli. Now all these singhs had come on to one platform, to kill Beant Singh.

In August 1995, Bhai Hawara received a message that according to the promised made in Pakistan, Bhai Wadhawa Singh Babbar and Bhai Mahal Singh Babbar have delivered the currency and the goods to a village near Ajnala and now its Bhai Hawara’s duty to take care of the mission. As soon as Bhai Hawara got this message, on 10thAugust 1995, he and Bhai Shere went to Ajnala in truck, upon reaching Ajnala the singhs collected two bags of money and RDX. The bags were put in the tool box of the truck while Bhai Shere drove the truck back to Patiala. One bag was kept at Bhai Shere’s house and the other bag was kept at Bhai Hawara’s friend’s house in a nearby village. Now all the currency and goods needed to carry out this mission was in the possession of the singhs.

Now Bhai Hawara was thinking, who should the bomb be tied to kill Beant Singh via suicide bomb? How should the suicide bomber be prepared? This part of the mission was difficult, Bhai Hawara had the training in making all sorts of bombs but as this type of mission was the first on the Indian soul and it would have been difficult to prepare a singh to become a suicide bomber, but Bhai Hawara did not lose courage. “If no one wants to be a suicide bomber then I will tie the bomb to myself and become the human bomb.” Bhai Hawara thought to himself.

All the singhs met at the rented house on Ratoli village, where they would plan on how to read Beant Singh’s Kirtan Sohila. “Okay then Brothers, to kill Beant Singh one of us has to become a human bomb. Now tell me who wants to do this part of the mission, who wants to be the human bomb?” Bhai Hawara asked the question while looking at every singh in the eye. “I will be the human bomb.” Said Bhai Dilawar Singh, at this moment everybody started staring at Bhai Dilawar Singh. “No, I will be the human bomb.” Insisted Bhai Rajoana.

“One minute.” Said Bhai Hawara and the continued after a pause, “I forgot to say one thing. Whoever becomes the human bomb will definitely destroy everything in its path but also he would blow himself into pieces.”

“No problem, I will be the first human bomb.” Replied Bhai Dilawar Singh fearlessly, but Bhai Rajoana again insisted, “No, I will be the first human bomb.” Bhai Rajoana was ready to punish Beant Singh but Bhai Dilawar Singh made it clear and said, “No, first it’s my umber to be the human bomb as I was the first one to stand up to this sewa.” Knowing what will if they became the human bomb, both singhs were trying to be the first human bomb. Bhai Hawara was watching these two singhs and went into deep thought. Bhai Hawara saw his mission being complete. For a moment Bhai Hawara was seeing Beant Singh being blown into small pieces in his thoughts. Bhai Hawara sent Bhai Dilawar Singh and Bhai Rajoana to be trained in bomb carrying and making. The responsibility of making the belt that would carry the bomb was given to Bhai Engineer as he was an expert in this field.

Now Bhai Hawara, Bhai Tara and Bhai Bheora had a discussion. “The human bomb problem is now solved. Now we need an Ambassador car that will get the singhs close to the target.” Said Bhai Hawara, Bhai Tara agreed and said, “Let’s buy any old Ambassador car and get the dents and paint repaired. This isn’t a very hard job, we can buy a Ambassador car from Delhi.” Bhai Hawara smiled and said, “Okay then let’s quickly go Delhi and get the car. Delaying is the mother of destruction.”

Bhai Hawara, Bhai Tara and Bhai Bheora got ready without any delay and on 20thAugust 1995 went to Delhi on motorcycle. The singhs bought the newspapers in Delhi, not to look at the local headlines but in fact to look at advertisement of Ambassador cars. Bhai Hawara found an ad on the Hindustan Times newspaper of a navy Ambassador car in the western part of Delhi, the car was being sold by a man named, Subash Dutta. All the singh mounted onto the motorcycle and moved in the direction of Subash Dutta’s house in west Delhi. The singhs found the house, Subash Dutta came out to see who was at the door. One of the singhs said, “Hello Sir, we are from eastern Delhi and saw the advertisement for your navy Ambassador car in today’s paper.” Upon hearing this Subash Dutta showed the car with the number plate, DBA 9598 to the singhs. The singhs inspected the car like they were car dealers, as the singhs wanted Subash Dutta to think that they knew a lot about cars.

“We like your car Mr Subash, what is your price?” one of the singhs said. “Forty thousand rupees.” Replied Subash Dutta. “The price is very high. I will give 32,000 rupees. If you agree the okay or else will leave.” Said Bhai Hawara. After much hustle Subash Dutta agreed with the singhs. The singhs promised to bring the money the following morning and take the car then. The next morning, Bhai Hawara and Bhai Bheora when to Subash Dutta’s house and gave 32,000 rupees and bought the car to Bhai Tara who was resting at his brother’s house in Delhi’s Safdarjung.  Bhai Tara stayed at his brother’s house with the car, while Bhai Hawara and Bhai Bheora came back to Punjab.

Bhai Tara bought the car to Bhai Lakha’s house the following day. Bhai Tara told Bhai Lakha, “To kill Beant Singh and to get close to him, this car has to look like VIP car. We have to change the colour of this car to white.” Bhai Lakha answered, “I’ll get that done. I know a mechanic who will do this. I always take the VIP cars to him to be repaired.”

Bhai Tara and Bhai Lakha took the car to the mechanic. Bhai Lakha told the mechanic, “This car needs repairing and painting white as soon as possible.” The mechanic said it will take 4 days for the work to be fully complete, Bhai Lakha said, “Okay, I’ll leave the car here, I will come on the fourth day.” After 4 days Bhai Tara and Bhai Lakha went back to the mechanic. When the mechanic showed the singhs their car, the singhs could not recognise the car as it looked new and like a VIP car. The singhs were happy to see the car. Bhai Tara took the car to Chandigarh. The next day Bhai Tara received a secret message from Bhai Hawara to bring Bhai Bheora with him to Punjabi University, Patiala. When the singhs reached here another message was given to them by Bhai Hawara to come to Gurudwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib. When Bhai Tara and Bhai Bheora reached the gurudwara, Bhai Hawara, Bhai Dilawar Singh and Bhai Rajoana were waiting for them. From here all five singhs drive towards the village of Kurali. From village Kurali the singhs collected the remote controlled RDX from Bhai Naseeb Singh’s house and drove to Mohali.

It was 30thAugust 1995, Bhai Dilawar Singh and Bhai Rajoana were ready to become the human bomb. The VIP Ambassador car was also ready, as well as the police uniforms. The remote controlled RDX belt was ready too. To read the Kirtan Sohila of Beant Singh, everything was ready. All the singhs were now in Chandigarh. On 30thAugust 1995, Beant Singh was not in Chandigarh, which was the only thing missing from carrying out the mission. The singhs decided to carry out the action the following day. Till then the whole team of singhs were discussing each and every point of this mission.

 

Bhai Dilawar Singh and Bhai Rajoana were still being stubborn on who will be the human bomb. Bhai Hawara said, “We respect your feelings, but this stubbornness is bad for the mission. Let’s do a lottery and see who gets to be the human bomb out of you two. One slip will have Bhai Dilawar Singh’s name and the other will have Bhai Rajoana’s name. The slip that is picked becomes the human bomb. Is that ok?” Bhai Dilawar Singh and Bhai Rajoana agreed. The two slips were thrown on the floor, at this moment both singhs, Bhai Dilawar Singh and Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana were doing ardas that their name is picked to be the human bomb. The slip that was picked had the name of Bhai Dilawar Singh. Bhai Dilawar Singh jumped up with excitement as his wish had come true.

“Don’t worry brother Rajoana, your turn will soon come also, KPS Gill, Bhajan Lal and Rao are still alive and need their Kirtan Sohila read to them. Let’s see whose name is written on your chest.” Bhai Hawara tried to give courage to Bhai Rajoana. Bhai Dilawar Singh rang his close relatives and said, “Tomorrow something big is going to happen in Punjab. For this reason, I want you to go underground away from the police. Don’t worry about me.”

On 31stAugust 2012, the VIP car of Beant Singh arrived at Chandigarh’s Secretariat. The doors of the car opened, a commando of CRPF came out of the car first then it was Beant Singh. The Indian security forces at the Secretariat which had been deployed to protect this evil man saluted Beant Singh as he walked into the Secretariat. It was roughly about 1.30 in the afternoon when Beant Singh reached the secretariat. Bhai Tara and Bhai Rajoana were already present in the Secretariat before Beant Singh reached there. Both singhs had been waiting for almost an hour for Beant Singh to arrive. Soon as Beant Singh had arrived, these two singhs got into the Ambassador car they had bought from Delhi and drove to Bhai Engineer’s house, where Bhai Dilawar Singh was. “You alright brother, has he (Beant Singh) come?” Bhai Dilawar Singh asked. “Beant Singh has reached the Secretariat.” Bhai Tara answered. There was no ending to Bhai Dilawar Singh’s happiness and said, “Very good.” Bhai Engineer made Bhai Dilawar Singh aware of his mission, “He (Beant Singh) better not reach home today.”

“He won’t reach home, my dear, he won’t reach home. No one can save Beant Singh from me, I will kill him at any cost today. Just keep your television on because before sunset the news will state that Chief Minister Beant Singh has been killed in bomb blast.” After saying this Bhai Dilawar Singh tied the RDX belt to himself. This belt had been made by Bhai Engineer. At the time of tying this belt, Bhai Dilawar Singh had no signs of regret. Bhai Dilawar Singh was looking beautiful and smart in the police uniform. Before leaving Bhai Engineer’s home, Bhai Dilawar Singh did Ardas and did a loud war cry of, “Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akaal” which shook the whole house. The Bhai Dilawar Singh looked at his fellow singhs and came out of the room. Bhai Dilawar Singh sat in the driving seat of the VIP Ambassador car, he smiled at the singhs setting him of and then drove the car towards the Secretariat. The VIP Ambassador car was slowly fading away in the sights of the fellow singhs.

The porch of the Secretariat is full of Ambassador cars and the latest model cars of that time. Three of those have the same number plate, which are used to transport Beant Singh by the Z security to fool attackers. It was 5 o’clock in the evening, when the Chief Minister Beant Singh came out of his office to go home. All of his bodyguards had now surrounded Beant Singh and he walked towards his car with ease. No one could have guessed that the Chief Minister was getting close to death with every step he took. At that time a white Ambassador car came into the Secretariat and stopped not too far from Beant Singh’s Ambassador car, Bhai Dilawar Singh was in this car. As Bhai Dilawar Singh was in his police uniform, no one stopped him, now Bhai Dilawar Singh was in front of his target. On one side Beant Singh was getting ready to get into his car and on the other side Bhai Dilawar Singh quickly got out of the car to move towards the Chief Minister. No one was to question Bhai Dilawar Singh as he was in the police uniform. All the security guards of Beant Singh were busy looking at Beant Singh, Bhai Dilawar Singh took advantage of this and infiltrated the security forces of Beant Singh to get close to his target. Beant Singh finally sat in his car and as the driver started the engine, the commandoes started getting into the car. One bodyguard shouted, “Grab that man” pointing at Bhai Dilawar Singh, but it was too late. Soon as someone could react, Bhai Dilawar Singh was close to Beant Singh and detonated his bomb with the remote control. The explosion shook the Secretariat of Chandigarh to its root, breaking many windows. Blood and flesh could be seen all over the Secretariat. The car was blown into pieces. The Secretariat was filling up with smoke from the RDX explosion. Shaheed Bhai Dilawar Singh had completed his mission of killing the butcher of Sikhs, Chief Minister Beant Singh. The whole Sikh nation salutes the great martyr of the Sikh faith, Shaheed Bhai Dilawar Singh.

The following day all the newspapers all over the world were talking of this action:

A bomb that exploded inside an official car today killed the top official in the Indian state of Punjab and 12 others, including at least three members of an elite Indian security force. It was the most serious episode in the state since a decade-long insurgency by Sikh separatists was quelled two years ago. The Punjab official, Beant Singh, who was 71 years old, held the post of Chief Minister in the state of 22 million people. Witnesses said the blast occurred as Mr Singh was stepping into a heavily armoured car at the main government building in Chandigarh, the capital. Accounts from Chandigarh said the explosion threw human remains and debris more than 100 yards, and wounded 23 people, some of whom were in critical condition. State’s Police Commander, KPS Gill characterized the blast as sabotage and said there had been a “serious lapse” in security for Mr Singh, who had escaped several previous attempts on his life.

(New York Times, 1 September 1995)

 

The assassination has been called India’s most important since the killing of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991.

(Le Monde, 2 September 1995)

 

A powerful car bomb blast in Chandigarh late in the afternoon of 31 August 1995 killed Punjab’s chief minister, Beant Singh, along with 12 others, and shook official confidence that the Sikh militancy was all but dead.

 (The Guardian Weekly, 10 September 1995)

 

Yet the assassination took place outside his office in an area considered very secure. A suicide bomber is suspected.

(India Today, 30 September 1995)

 

Bomb Blast – Sukhdev Singh Bhullar