Paramjit Kaur Khalra seeks people’s Commission to probe Punjab missing persons and fake encounter cases

Aramjit Kaur Khalra, wife of slain human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, on Monday appealed to the Akal Takht to constitute a People’s Commission to determine the actual number of people who went missing, unidentified bodies, and those allegedly killed in fake police encounters in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s. Her appeal comes amid renewed attention to the Khalra case following the release and subsequent removal of the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj from ZEE5.

The Akal Takht is scheduled to hold an ardas on Tuesday for the eternal peace of Sikh youths whose cases were brought to light by Jaswant Singh Khalra and to seek justice for their families. In a post on X, Paramjit Kaur urged people across Punjab, the Sikh community and supporters of human rights around the world to unite in pursuit of truth and justice. She said the events following Operation Bluestar, the anti Sikh violence of 1984 and the alleged disappearances, torture, unidentified bodies and fake police encounters continue to demand accountability.

She alleged that successive governments had failed to deliver justice. Kaur accused the then Congress government of human rights violations and said later governments, including the previous Shiromani Akali Dal government and the present AAP government in Punjab, also failed to ensure accountability. She further alleged that police personnel accused of wrongdoing received official support during previous administrations.

Appealing to the Akal Takht for impartial leadership, Kaur requested the formation of a People’s Commission to establish the true number of missing persons, unidentified bodies and alleged fake encounter victims from that period. She also sought recognition for the unidentified victims whose identities were uncovered through Jaswant Singh Khalra’s work by placing them in the Central Sikh Museum in Amritsar. In addition, she asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to provide financial assistance to the affected families. Kaur also demanded that those responsible for human rights violations be held accountable, stripped of official honors and subjected to social boycott, irrespective of political affiliation. She said no political party or individual should be above the law.

The controversy surrounding Satluj, formerly titled Punjab ’95, has intensified in Punjab following its removal from ZEE5 shortly after its release. The SGPC has demanded that the film be restored, while the Shiromani Akali Dal and several Sikh organizations have announced community screenings across different parts of the state.