Beant Singh (assassin)

2022-01-10T11:08:34Z

2402:3A80:167C:9B90:0:34:DDEA:4801:

{{Short description|Sikh bodyguard and assassin of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi}}
{{other uses|Beant Singh (disambiguation)}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Beant Singh
| image =
| caption =
| native_name =
| birth_name = Beant Singh
| birth_date = {{birth date|1959|01|06|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Jaitu, East Punjab]], India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1984|10|31|1959|01|06}}
| death_place = [[New Delhi]], India
| death_cause = Lynching during the assassination of indira Gandhi
| occupation = Bodyguard of the Prime Minister of India
| employer = [[Government of India]]
| criminal_charge = [[Assassination of Indira Gandhi]]
| criminal_penalty =
| criminal_status =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Bimal Kaur Khalsa]]|1976}}
| mother =
| father = [[Baba Sucha Singh]]
}}

'''Beant Singh''' (Punjabi: ਬੇਅੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ) (6 January 1959{{dash}}31 October 1984), was a bodyguard of the [[Prime Minister of India]], [[Indira Gandhi]], and was one of two who took part in her [[Assassination of Indira Gandhi|assassination]] in 1984.

==Family==
Shaheed Beant Singh was born in a [[Ramdasia]] Sikh family to [[Baba Sucha Singh]] and Kartar Kaur.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-12-08|title=Perspective : What Motivated Beant Singh to assassinate Indira Gandhi?|url=https://www.theindianpanorama.news/featured/perspective-motivated-beant-singh-assassinate-indira-gandhi/|access-date=2020-06-04|website=The Indian Panorama|language=en-US}}</ref>

Singh's widow [[Bimal Kaur Khalsa]] initially joined the Sikh militant group,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/06/world/sikhs-sought-in-slaying.html|title=Sikhs Sought in Slaying|location=India; Amritsar (India)|publisher=NYTimes.com|date=6 June 1986|access-date=13 October 2012}}</ref> and then got imprisoned. Later she got elected from [[Ropar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Ropar Constituency]]. His father, [[Baba Sucha Singh]], was also elected member of [[Lok Sabha]] from [[Bathinda (Lok Sabha constituency)]].<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/22/world/india-s-new-chief-given-a-go-ahead.html|title=India's New Chief Given A Go-Ahead - New York Times|publisher=Nytimes.com|date=22 December 1989|access-date=13 October 2012|first=Barbara|last=Crossette}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=MyNews.in |url=http://www.mynews.in/News/'Father_didn't_kill_Indira_Gandhi_to_make_Sikhs_happy'_Beant_Singh's_son__N28948.html|title='Father didn't kill Indira Gandhi to make Sikhs happy': Beant Singh's son|publisher=MyNews.in|access-date=13 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305192505/http://www.mynews.in/News/%27Father_didn%27t_kill_Indira_Gandhi_to_make_Sikhs_happy%27_Beant_Singh%27s_son__N28948.html|archive-date=5 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20091031/229171.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225141005/http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20091031/229171.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=25 February 2012|title=Family profile|publisher=Indiaenews.com|date=28 September 2012|access-date=25 January 2018}}</ref>

Their son, Sarbjit Singh is a leader of [[Shiromani Akali Dal (disambiguation)|SAD (Mann)]].

==Honours and death anniversaries==
In 2003, a [[Bhog]] ceremony was held at the highest Sikh temporal seat in [[Akal Takht]], located in the [[Golden Temple|Golden Temple Complex]] in [[Amritsar]], where tributes were paid.

In 2004, his death anniversary was again observed at [[Akal Takht]], Amritsar, where his mother was honored by the head priest and tributes were paid to Satwant Singh and [[Kehar Singh]] by various political parties.<ref name="tribuneindia2004">{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040107/punjab1.htm#3|title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Punjab|publisher=Tribuneindia.com|access-date=19 January 2013}}</ref>

On 6 January 2008, the [[Akal Takht]] declared Beant Singh and Satwant Singh 'martyrs of Sikhism',<ref name="hindustantimes.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030107/punjab1.htm#19|title=Chandigarh, India - Punjab|publisher=Tribuneindia.com|date=7 January 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/07/stories/2008010762501200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110102918/http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/07/stories/2008010762501200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 January 2008|title=National: Indira Gandhi killers labelled martyrs|date=7 January 2003|access-date=13 October 2012|work=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indira-assassin-great-martyr-vedanti/258427|title=Indira assassin 'great martyr': Vedanti|work=The Indian Express|date=7 January 2003|access-date=13 October 2012}}</ref>

The Sikhism-centric political party in India, [[Shiromani Akali Dal]], observed the death anniversary of Beant Singh and Satwant Singh as 'martyrdom' for the first time on 31 October 2008;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081101/bathinda.htm#3|title=Chandigarh, India - Bathinda Edition|publisher=Tribuneindia.com|access-date=25 January 2018}}</ref> every 31 October since, their 'martyrdom day' has been observed at Sri Akal Takht Sahib.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091101/punjab.htm#4|title=Chandigarh, India - Punjab|publisher=Tribuneindia.com|date=1 November 2009|access-date=25 January 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Beant}}
[[Category:1984 deaths]]
[[Category:Murder in 1984]]
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:Sikh martyrs]]
[[Category:People from Rupnagar]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in India]]
[[Category:People shot dead by law enforcement officers in India]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Assassination of Indira Gandhi]]

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Beant Singh (assassin)