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{{Short description|Mass shooting in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Dormers Wells High School shooting
| location = [[Dormers Wells High School]], [[Southall]], England
| date = 11 November 1987
| map = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{Coord|51.519699|-0.366504}}|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|length_mi=0.26}}
| coordinates = {{coord|51.519699|-0.366504|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dec|display=inline,title}}
| time = 10:00 p.m.
| target = Mahraz Darshan Das (preacher)
| type = {{hlist|[[Mass shooting]]|[[school shooting]]|[[assassination]]}}
| weapons = *[[.38 caliber|.38-caliber]] [[revolver]]
*[[Sawed-off shotgun]]
*[[.22 caliber|.22-caliber]] [[pistol]]
| fatalities = 3
| injuries = 3 (including the perpetrators)
| perpetrators = *Rajinder Singh Batth
*Mangit Singh Sunder
| convictions = Batth: [[murder]], [[manslaughter]], and malicious wounding 
Sunder: [[murder]] and [[manslaughter]]
}}

The '''Dormers Wells High School shooting''' was a [[mass shooting]] that occurred during a [[Sikhism|Sikh]] prayer meeting on the night of 11 November 1987 at the aforementioned school in [[Southall]], [[London]], England. Rajinder Singh Batth and Mangit<ref group="n">Also spelled "Manjit"</ref> Singh Sunder, two orthodox [[Sikhs]], opened fire on preacher Mahraz Darshan Das and then the congregation, killing three men and wounding one other. They were then subdued and treated for minor injuries at the hospital. In March 1989, both were sentenced to [[life imprisonment]] for murder and manslaughter.

== Shooting ==
On 11 November 1987, Batth and Sunder attended a prayer meeting held by Mahraz Darshan Das, 34, at [[Dormers Wells High School]] in [[Southall]], [[London]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mercer |first=Karl |date=13 November 1987 |title=Gunned down |pages=1 |work=Southall Gazette |url=https://i.imgur.com/bfKXPb9.jpg |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref> Das was a preacher and self-styled [[Sikh gurus|Guru]] who was disliked by fundamentalist Sikhs for his moderate views. The perpetrators had attended several of Das' meetings beforehand. A witness recalled that Batth looked uncomfortable during one of them.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=24 February 1989 |title=3 Killed in Bloodbath |pages=1 |work=The Hounslow and Chiswick Informer |url=https://i.imgur.com/HX50Go6.jpg |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref>

After making a statement, Das walked to the front of the stage to talk to the congregation. The two gunmen then stood up and moved towards him. Sunder yelled at him in [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: "what's all this, you dog" before pulling out his [[sawed-off shotgun]] from under his coat and firing at Das, missing. Batth subsequently jumped up to the stage, retrieved his .38-caliber revolver from his waistband, and fatally shot Das in the back of the head at point-blank range. The bullet penetrated the back of his ear and ricocheted to his chest.<ref name=":0" />

Afterwards, Batth turned and shot at the crowd. His bullets hit Satwant Singh Panesar, 41, and Dharan Singh Bimbrah, 53.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=24 February 1989 |title=Bloodbath |pages=2 |work=The Hounslow and Chiswick Informer |url=https://i.imgur.com/Ylkm9V5.jpg |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref> Panesar died 11 days later while Bimbrah was discharged from the hospital on 20 November 1987.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 November 1987 |title=Prayer hall shooting: third man dies |pages=9 |work=Greenford and Northolt Gazette |url=https://i.imgur.com/1EufAL6.png |url-status=live |access-date=20 August 2023}}</ref>

Members of the crowd then rushed towards the gunmen to subdue them. A man tackled Batth and disarmed him without incident. 44-year-old Jaga Singh pushed Sunder to the ground, disarmed him, and punched him. However, Sunder pulled out his .22-caliber pistol and shot him in the abdomen. He died five hours later during surgery at [[Ealing Hospital]].<ref name=":0" />

The police and ambulances soon arrived. The shooters were arrested and then taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries inflicted on them by the congregation.<ref name=":1" /> A cassette tape used to record hymns and prayers captured audio of 38-second-long shooting.<ref name=":0" />

== Perpetrators ==
Rajinder Singh Batth and Mangit Singh Sunder—both Londoners<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=14 November 1987 |title=Guru murder: Two accused |pages=2 |work=Hull Daily Mail |url=https://i.imgur.com/OOU8eNL.png |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref>—were pro-[[Khalistan movement|Khalistan]] extremists upset with Das for his criticism of fundamentalist Sikhs and their wishes for an independent homeland in the [[Punjab]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 March 1989 |title=Chosen for life...and death |pages=3 |work=The Gazette |url=https://i.imgur.com/xWb8q4Q.png |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref> Both were members of fundamentalist groups within the [[International Sikh Youth Federation]] (ISYF). Batth, who was an unemployed 37-year-old, was considered the ringleader of the two. Sunder was 25-years-old and worked at a factory.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Weeks |first=John |date=11 March 1989 |title=Life for two Sikhs in 'planned slaughter' |pages=3 |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://i.imgur.com/qx9kTVn.jpg |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref> Batth claimed he purchased their guns for €250 from a man outside of a Sikh temple in [[Handsworth, West Midlands|Handsworth]] three months before the shooting.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 March 1989 |title=Guru murder trial told shooting was accidental |pages=3 |work=Birmingham Metronews |url=https://i.imgur.com/5G70LPT.png |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref>

=== Legal proceedings ===
The perpetrators were both charged with three counts of murder, and Batth was also charged with malicious wounding in relation to Dharan Singh Bimbrah. The charges were later reduced to one count of murder and one count of manslaughter.<ref name=":3" />

Halfway through the 3-week-long trial, on 1 March 1989, Sunder changed his plea from innocent to guilty and pleaded guilty to the murder of Das and the manslaughter of Jaga Singh. Later that month, after deliberating for five hours, the jury found Batth guilty of the murder of Das, the manslaughter of Jaga Singh, and malicious wounding. The judge sentenced both to life imprisonment, with the recommendation that Sunder serve at least 20 years and Batth serve at least 30 years.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=11 March 1989 |title=Sikh killers get life for gun slaughter |pages=15 |work=Birmingham Evening Mail |url=https://i.imgur.com/pLockyt.png |url-status=live |access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref>

Batth was released from prison in December 2021. He then returned to India and was honored, along with his family, by jathedar [[Giani Harpreet Singh]] at the [[Akal Takht]] with siropas. Regarding the event, Batth said he was " lucky to be honoured at the Takht." Sunder has also been released.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Surjit |date=11 December 2021 |title=Jailed in UK for 34 years, dera head assassin honoured at Akal Takht |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/jailed-in-uk-for-34-years-dera-head-assassin-honoured-at-akal-takht-101639168708557.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210204409/https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/jailed-in-uk-for-34-years-dera-head-assassin-honoured-at-akal-takht-101639168708557.html |archive-date=10 December 2021 |access-date=21 August 2023 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[List of mass shootings in the United Kingdom]]
* [[Sikhism in the United Kingdom]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=n}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}{{Mass shootings in the United Kingdom}}
[[Category:Mass shootings in England]]
[[Category:1987 mass shootings in Europe]]
[[Category:School shootings in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:School killings in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1987 murders in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:November 1987 events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Assassinations in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in London]]
[[Category:1980s murders in London]]
[[Category:Manslaughter in London]]
[[Category:Religiously motivated violence in England]]
[[Category:Sikhism and violence]]

Dormers Wells High School shooting - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Creating a new article