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Revision as of 02:23, 26 June 2009 by Vanished User 1004 (talk | contribs) (→12 years with Punjab police: 2nd source for his being a member of the police force)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| General Labh Singh | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Sukha Sipahi |
| Allegiance | Khalistan Commando Force |
| Years of service | 1984 - 1988 |
| Rank | General (self-appointed) |
| Battles / wars | Operation Blue Star, Khalistan movement (East Template:Lang-pa).
|
Labh Singh (1952 - July 12, 1988), was a former Punjab Police officer who took command of the Khalistan Commando Force after its first leader, Manbir Singh Chaheru, was arrested in 1986 and eventually killed in 1987. He was also known as Sukha Sipahi, and General Labh Singh
He was an associate of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and fought against the Indian army during Operation Bluestar. He restructured the Khalistan Commando Force and led it until his death in 1988, allegedly taking part in attacks on police, bank robberies, and murders in support of the Khalistan movement to create a Sikh homeland, Khalistan.
Early life
Labh Singh was born in 1952 to Puran Singh and his wife Kulwant Kaur. In his childhood he lived in the village of Panjwar, District Amritsar, Punjab, India.
In 1980, he married Davinder Kaur according to Sikh rites. They had two sons. Rajashwar Singh and Pardeep Singh.
12 years with Punjab police
Labh Singh was a member of the police for 12 years before becoming a militant.
Association with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
After he left his job with the police, he joined the Sikh militants.
In May 1984, he, Gursewak Singh Babla, Gurinder Singh and Swaranjit Singh, were accused of killing Hind Samachar newspaper group editor Ramesh Chander.. The Hind Samachar was an outspoken critic of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who had written that Punjab state had become a slaughterhouse. Indian news agency reported that a caller stated “it was notified that whoever speaks or writes against Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale will be answered with bullets.”
During Operation Blue Star, he fought against the Indian Army along with other Sikh militants. Arrested by the army after the operation, he was sent to Jodhpur Jail where he spent two years without trial.
Khalistan Commando Force
On April 25, 1986, Sukhdev Singh, Gurinder Singh and Swaranjit Singh, were to appear in court on charges of slaying Ramesh Chander, a leading Hindu newspaper editor. On that day, Sikh militant leader Manbir Singh Chaheru and other KCF members attacked Indian security forces that were taking the three prisoners to trial in the District courts of Jalandhar, Punjab, India. The militants freed all three prisoners, killing four police officers inside the District Court complex and two police officers at the courtyard gate as the attackers fled..
Labh Singh took over the leadership of the Khalistan Commando Force after its first leader, Manbir Singh Chaheru, was arrested.
On August 8, 1986, Punjab Police arrested Manbir Singh Chaheru("Hari Singh"), and he was eventually killed while in police custody.
Sukhdev Singh changed his name to Labh Singh, assumed the title of "General," and completely reorganized the KCF. He set up a resilient structure in an attempt to allow for the death or capture of leaders. Reporting to him were 6 independent Lieutenant Generals. To each of them reported various Area Commanders. If a Lieutenant were killed, an Area Commander would be promoted to fill the slot.
He was involved in several police encounters including a daylight attack on the Director-General of the Punjab Police Julio Francis Ribeiro on October 3, 1986 inside the headquarters of Punjab Armed Police in the city of Jalandhar, Punjab, India.
He was known as Sukha Sipahi (truthful soldier) amongst the local people.
Along with Harjinder Singh Jinda, Sukhdev Singh Sukha and other militants of the Khalistan Commando Force, Lab Singh took part in the daylight robbery of the Punjab National Bank, Miller Gunj branch, Ludhiana in which more than Rs 5.70 crore (58 million rupees-$4.5 million) were looted, a part of which belonged to the Reserve Bank of India, India's central bank. Sikh militants often used bank robberies to finance their violent campaign against the Indian government.
Death
In June of 1988, the Panthic committee appointed Labh Singh a high priest, but on July 12, 1988, Labh Singh was killed by police near Tanda, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India. At the time of his death, he was wanted in connection with the murder of a dozen police, newspaper editor Ramesh Chander, and the attempted murder of former Punjab Police Chief Julio Francis Ribeiro. Amritsar police Superintendent Suresh Arora said "We have broken the back of the KCF. Sukhdev Singh was the most dreaded of the terrorists."
After his death the KCF was headed by Kanwarjit Singh Sultanwind On 18 October 1989, Kanwarjit Singh Sultanwind and Nirmal Singh Mianwind, and another KCF member were arrested by police near Jalandhar. Nirmal was killed. Kanwarjit Singh Sultanwind, then 23 years old, killed himself with poison.
His loss damaged the organisation. After his death, the Khalistan Commando Force split into factions including those led by Wassan Singh Zaffarwal, Paramjit Singh Panjwar and Gurjant Singh Rajasthani.
Another result of Labh Singh's death was the failure of the Khalistan Commando Force - Babbar Khalsa alliance, as the relationship established by Labh Singh and Sukhdev Singh Babbar was lost.
Police and other Indian security forces caught or killed Lieutenant Generals and Area Commanders, and eventually crushed many of the factions.
See also
Citations
- ^ Mahmood 1997, p. 155
- http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/retrieve/726/etd1604.pdf
- Atkins, Stephen E. (2004). Encyclopedia of modern worldwide extremists and extremist groups (illustrated ed.). page 242: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 404. ISBN 0313324859, 9780313324857. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help)CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Mahmood 1997, p. 79
- http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081010/punjab1.htm#11
- ^ http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58240583.html?dids=58240583:58240583&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Feb+13%2C+1987&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Sikh+Separatists+Masquerade+as+Police+to+Stage+India's+Biggest+Bank+Robbery&pqatl=google
- http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3810376.html
- ^ Walia, Varinder (March 8, 2001). "Kin of slain Babbar Khalsa chief shift abroad". The Tribune (Tribune News Service). Retrieved 2009-06-26.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Fighting for Faith and Nation By Cynthia Keppley Mahmood - Page 155
- The Times of India, Aug 27, 2004
- Wilmington Morning Star, Apr 6, 1986
- Chicago Tribune, May 13, 1984
- Wilmington Morning Star, May 13, 1984
- New Straits Times Malaysia, Jul 13, 1988
- http://books.google.com/books?id=8QufTc6fAocC&pg=PA168&dq=general+labh+singh+fighting+for+faith+and+nation&lr=&num=100&ei=upDaSOfhJKDitQPG2-XeDg&sig=ACfU3U2YnlXSW49kQTTEBo8RDhPhpDFIfQ
- Wilmington Morning Star, Apr 6, 1986 Sikhs kill 6 on courthouse steps
- The Courier - Apr 6, 1986
- Los Angeles Times - Apr 6, 1986
- Chicago Tribune, Apr 5, 1986
- The Free-Lance Star - Apr 5, 1986
- Ludington Daily News - Apr 4, 1986
- The Journal of Commonwealth & comparative politics by Taylor & Francis
- 'Encyclopedia of modern worldwide extremists and extremist groups' by Stephen E. Atkins
- http://books.google.com/books?id=AK6QA_WotRYC&pg=PT161&dq=general+labh+singh&ei=Rj83Sq-cM5DOlQSi97GnAQ
- https://www.ihro.in/?q=node/41%7Ctitle= The Killings In Sangrur Jail
- http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020125/punjab1.htm
- http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=4e9019ee-c9cd-4459-8a1f-e4f08238125e
- http://www.sikhtimes.com/sikhism_timeline.html
- Terrorism & It's Effects By Juan Sanchez, various
- Genesis of terrorism By Satyapal Dang
- http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3810376.html
- ^ "Top Sikh extremist shot dead by Indian police". New Straits Times. 13 July 1988. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
- Gill, K.P.S. (May 1999). "Endgame In Punjab: 1988-1993". Faultlines. 1 (1). page 29: Institute for Conflict Management. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/punjab/backgrounder/index.html
- http://books.google.com/books?id=z9GG4__JJNwC&pg=PA399&dq=general+labh+singh&ei=NUs3StXSGYSukASb1pCoAQ
- http://www.punjabheritage.org/content/view/448/31/
- http://books.google.com/books?id=lpb1mbaHjGQC&pg=PA94&lpg=PA94&dq=kanwarjit+singh+sultanwind&source=bl&ots=p8dcNfdhNl&sig=5BRRU3cy_4uloaGbtWIbZxM3Le0&hl=en&ei=x2E7SvLUKIryMtnl7awO&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7
- ^ Juergensmeyer, Mark (2003). "The Sword of Sikhism". Terror in the mind of God (3 ed.). Page 95: University of California Press. p. 319. ISBN 9780520240117. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
References
- Mahmood, Cynthia Keppley (1997). Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants (illustrated ed.). University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 314. ISBN 9780812215922.
External Links
| Preceded byManbir Singh Chaheru | Commander-in-Chief of Khalistan Commando Force 1986 – 1988 |
Succeeded byKanwarjit Singh Sultanwind |
{{subst:#if:Singh, Labh|}} [[Category:{{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1952}}
|| UNKNOWN | MISSING = Year of birth missing {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1988}}||LIVING=(living people)}}
| #default = 1952 births
}}]] {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1988}}
|| LIVING = | MISSING = | UNKNOWN = | #default =
}}
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