Mera Khazana ....Diljit's Film Satluj has reawakened painful memories of the traumatic days of Punjab….by Baljit Balli
Caught Between Two Fires: A Personal Reflection
The controversy surrounding Diljit Dosanjh's film Satluj (Punjab 95) has revived some of my own bitter memories from Punjab's traumatic decade-and-a-half of violence—memories that I experienced firsthand.
During those turbulent years, while a large number of people—predominantly young Sikhs—became victims of police excesses and human rights violations committed by the State machinery, a large number of others also fell victim to the violence and terror unleashed by Khalistani militant groups.
The tragedy is that public discourse often highlights only one side of this painful history. On the one hand, the focus remains on police excesses, fake encounters, and abuses by the State. On the other, attention is confined solely to the murders, violence, and terror perpetrated by Khalistani militant groups.
Yet there was a third category of victims. Many of them belonged to Punjab and the neighbouring states. They suffered at the hands of both sides—caught between militant violence and State repression. Sadly, the suffering of these people, and the violations of their human rights by both sides, have rarely received the attention or recognition they deserve.
My Family and I: Victims of Violence from Both Sides — Five Shaurya Chakras
My family and I belong to this third category. On one hand, we suffered the brutality of Khalistani militant groups; on the other, we also experienced the excesses of the Punjab Police, including the police force under the same SSP of Tarn Taran whose role features in Punjab 95.
The first tragedy involved militant violence carried out in the name of Khalistan.
In 1988, terrorists armed with AK-47 rifles attacked the residence of CPI MLA Dr. Harnam Singh in Shahabad, Haryana. The attack, which claimed three lives and left Dr. Harnam Singh and his wife seriously injured, made national headlines at the time and continues to be remembered in various contexts even today.
Dr. Harnam Singh's family is closely related to ours. Among those killed that night, around 9 p.m., was my real sister-in-law (my wife's sister), Gurpreet Kaur. Her husband, Advocate Khushdev Singh, is my brother-in-law. The third victim was the nephew of Dr. Harnam Singh's wife, Jaswant Kaur.
Gurpreet Kaur courageously stepped forward to shield her husband from the attackers. Her body was later found with 24 bullet wounds from AK-47 rifles.
The couple had been married only about three years earlier and had a two-year-old daughter, who survived because she was inside another room during the attack. Afterward, her injured grandparents, Dr. Harnam Singh and Jaswant Kaur, raised and educated the child as their own.
The principal accused in the attack was militant Daya Singh, who was later sentenced to life imprisonment. One of the attackers was killed at the scene after Khushdev Singh and other family members fought back bravely. The remaining attackers were reportedly killed later in encounters with the police.
In recognition of their extraordinary courage, the three deceased victims were accorded the status of martyrs. Members of the family were collectively awarded five Shaurya Chakras, which, to the best of my knowledge, remains a unique distinction for a single family. Dr. Harnam Singh and his wife have since passed away.
A Relative Killed in a Fake Encounter
The second tragedy involved another close relative from the Tarn Taran-Amritsar region.
My wife's first cousin's 21-year-old son was picked up by the Tarn Taran police. He was accused of providing shelter and food to militants at his family's rice sheller.
Our relatives met him while he was still in police custody and even spoke to him. Police officers reportedly initiated negotiations for his release in exchange for money. However, before anything could materialize, militants carried out another killing elsewhere. In apparent retaliation and to demonstrate results, the police allegedly killed our young relative in a fake encounter.
His body was never returned to his parents.
Another incident occurred in village Kuhala in Ferozepur district, where my paternal uncle lived. He survived an attack after being shot by Khalistani militants.
Living Under Threat from Both Sides
Even while living in Chandigarh, my own family and I personally experienced intimidation and fear from both sides of the conflict.
Police officers repeatedly threatened us, and there was always the fear of being eliminated by police "cats" (informers or surrendered militants working with the police).
During 1990-91, the situation became even more dangerous. I received a direct death threat from a leading Khalistani militant group. The threat was confirmed by the very militant who regularly visited us to deliver the group's press statements.
Realizing the seriousness of the danger, I was forced to move my family out of Punjab and remain in hiding for nearly a month.
There are many more such stories.
July 8, 2027
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Baljit Balli, Editor-in-Chief, Babushahi News Network
tirshinazar@gmail.com
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