Who was Jaswant Singh Khalra ? The real-life human rights activist behind Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj
After a prolonged censor certification battle spanning nearly three years, Diljit Dosanjh’s film Satluj has finally premiered after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFCs) 127 cuts on Zee5. Previously titled Punjab 95, the film is directed by Honey Trehan and is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.
Apart from Diljit Dosanjh, the film features Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in pivotal roles.
Who was Jaswant Singh Khalra?
Jaswant Singh Khalra, who was born in 1952 in Khalra village in Amritsar district, was a Punjab-based human rights activist known for highlighting cases of alleged illegal killings and secret cremations during the years of militancy in the state. He initially worked as a bank employee before dedicating himself to human rights advocacy in the 1980s.
According to media reports, the aftermath of Operation Blue Star, the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots had a significant impact on Khalra’s work. As several Sikh families reported that their relatives had disappeared after allegedly being detained by the Punjab Police on suspicion of militant links, Khalra began collecting information related to these cases.
His research reportedly led him to municipal records in Amritsar, where he found documents containing the names, addresses and other details of thousands of individuals who were allegedly killed and cremated without their families being informed.
His findings drew attention both in India and internationally, making him one of Punjab’s most prominent human rights activists.
In 1995, Jaswant Singh Khalra went missing. According to the Khalis Foundation, he was last seen outside his residence while washing his car before he disappeared.
A year later, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stated that it had found evidence suggesting Khalra had been detained at a police station in Tarn Taran. The agency subsequently recommended the prosecution of nine Punjab Police personnel in connection with his alleged kidnapping and murder.
The case remained in the courts for several years. On October 16, 2007, the Punjab and Haryana High Court enhanced the sentence to life imprisonment for four of the accused: former Sub-Inspectors Satnam Singh, Surinder Pal Singh and Jasbir Singh, along with former Head Constable Prithipal Singh.
Jaswant Singh Khalra is survived by his wife, Paramjit Kaur Khalra, and their two children, Navkiran Kaur and Janmeet Singh.