On 7 Feb, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) sought a response from the Indian and Panjab governments on a public interest litigation (PIL), seeking an independent probe into the alleged extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances during Panjab’s militancy years estimated at 6,733. The plea was filed in Dec 2019 by the Punjab Documentation and Advocacy Project (PDAP) and nine victim families. PADP, headed by London-based lawyer Satnam Singh Bains, has worked extensively in Panjab since 2008 and has currently documented 8,257 cases. Another group, Ensaaf has also documented 5,300+ extra-judicial killings. Human rights lawyer Jaswant Singh Khalra, who was himself abducted and killed, has placed the number of such killings at 25,000. One reason for this case to move in the court could be the appointment of Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia as the Acting Chief Justice of the PHHC. Justice Sandhawalia was appointed after incumbent Justice Ritu Bahri was elevated as the chief justice of the Uttarakhand High Court. Justice Sandhawalia’s father Surjit Singh Sandhawalia was Chief Justice of PHCC (1978-1983) and Patna High Court (1983-1987). While earlier there have been some judgments on individual or collective extra-judicial killings, this is the first time the court is considering this high number together. (SDW Vol. 1 Issue 13, Story 1). Extra-judicial killings in Panjab during the 1980s-90s are part of the people’s memory. If the guilty in this case are brought to trial and punished, it could be a step towards healing Panjab.
Like what you're reading? Subscribe to our top stories.
Liv Forum provides a digest of analysis on major issues facing Indian (East) Panjab and Sikhs globally.
In accordance with our Privacy Policy, we will never share or sell the information of our subscribers.
