Jaswant Khalra’s wife seeks people’s commission on Punjab disappearances

4 min readChandigarhJul 13, 2026 03:05 PM IST

Jaswant Singh Khalra and his wife Paramjit Kaur Khalra, who led the legal battle for 16 years. (Photos: Special arrangement/Enhanced using AI)

Ahead of an Ardas at Harike Pattan on Tuesday called by the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Paramjit Kaur Khalra, widow of the late human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, on Monday appealed for the constitution of a people’s commission to establish the actual number of people who disappeared or were killed in alleged fake encounters during Punjab’s militancy.

In a statement posted on X, she urged Punjabis, the Sikh Panth and human rights supporters to unite in the pursuit of truth and accountability. The Ardas is being held at Harike Pattan, where Jaswant Singh Khalra’s body is believed to have been disposed of after his abduction and killing in 1995.

Paramjit Kaur Khalra said the proposed commission should independently ascertain the scale of enforced disappearances, alleged fake encounters and unidentified bodies from the 1980s and 1990s.

She also demanded that unidentified victims whose identities were established through Khalra’s work be accorded a place in the Central Sikh Museum and sought financial assistance from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for affected families.

In her appeal, she alleged that successive governments had failed to deliver justice to victims’ families and had instead protected some police officers accused of human rights violations. She named several former police officers and alleged that governments led by different political parties had extended patronage to them while victims’ families continued to face legal and financial hardships.

She further alleged that the present Punjab government had helped some convicted police personnel evade justice instead of ensuring they served their sentences. She also referred to allegations against the BJP-led Union government regarding targeted killings abroad.

Appealing to the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, to provide impartial leadership, she said no political party or individual should be above accountability. Those responsible for human rights violations, denial of justice or concealment of the truth should be held answerable, she said, adding that the issue should not be used for political gain.

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Jaswant Singh Khalra came to national prominence in the early 1990s after documenting alleged secret cremations of unidentified bodies by the Punjab Police during the militancy period. He was abducted outside his Amritsar home on September 6, 1995, allegedly by Punjab Police personnel, and was later killed in custody. Investigators concluded that his body was disposed of in the Harike canal near Harike Pattan. Several police personnel were later convicted in the case, while the broader issue of disappearances and alleged fake encounters during the period remains contested and continues to be raised by victims’ families and human rights groups.

The appeal comes amid renewed public attention to Jaswant Singh Khalra’s legacy following the release of Satluj, the film inspired by his life, which has introduced his story to a new generation. Although the film was removed from the OTT platform ZEE5 on July 12 within 48 hours of its release, no detailed official explanation has been given.

On July 14, the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj) called for a special Ardas (prayer congregation) at Harike Pattan to pray for the peace of victims of alleged fake encounters and disappearances, honouring Khalra’s legacy.