Operation Sundown - Revision history

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← Older revision		Revision as of 05:46, 15 August 2022
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	{{Use Indian English\|date=June ~~2022~~}}		{{Use Indian English\|date=June 2018}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=June ~~2022~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=June 2018}}
	{{Indira Gandhi series}}		{{Indira Gandhi series}}
	'''Operation Sundown''' was codename of a covert plan of India's external intelligence agency [[Research & Analysis Wing]] (R&AW), in which the [[Special Group (India)\|Special Group]], which is an ultra-secretive armed unit of the R&AW, was to abduct Sikh extremist leader [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] from Guru Nanak Niwas in the [[Golden Temple]] complex, [[Amritsar]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|title=Indira Gandhi considered secret commando raid before Operation Bluestar\|last=Unnithan\|first=Sandeep\|date=\|website=\|publisher=India Today\|url-status=live\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313151801/http://m.indiatoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|archive-date=13 March 2016\|accessdate=2 February ~~2022~~}}</ref>		'''Operation Sundown''' was codename of a covert plan of India's external intelligence agency [[Research & Analysis Wing]] (R&AW), in which the [[Special Group (India)\|Special Group]], which is an ultra-secretive armed unit of the R&AW, was to abduct Sikh extremist leader [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] from Guru Nanak Niwas in the [[Golden Temple]] complex, [[Amritsar]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|title=Indira Gandhi considered secret commando raid before Operation Bluestar\|last=Unnithan\|first=Sandeep\|date=\|website=\|publisher=India Today\|url-status=live\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313151801/http://m.indiatoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|archive-date=13 March 2016\|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>

	== The operation ==		== The operation ==
	The rehearsals for the operation were carried out in the base. But, the operation was never started due to the then [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Indira Gandhi]]’s rejection. She did not want to hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by carrying out the operation. In addition there was a risk of numerous casualties as a [[collateral damage]] of the operation. Golden Temple was one of the most popular and revered sites in Punjab. Gandhi denied the approval to initiate Operation Sundown.<ref name="gill2017punjab">{{cite book \|last1=Gill \|first1=K.P.S. and Khosla, S \|title=Punjab: The Enemies Within : Travails of a Wounded Land Riddled with Toxins \|date=2017 \|publisher=Bookwise (India) Pvt. Limited \|isbn=9788187330660 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n3zHAQAACAAJ}}</ref>		The rehearsals for the operation were carried out in the base. But, the operation was never started due to the then [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Indira Gandhi]]’s rejection. She did not want to hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by carrying out the operation. In addition there was a risk of numerous casualties as a [[collateral damage]] of the operation. Golden Temple was one of the most popular and revered sites in Punjab. Gandhi denied the approval to initiate Operation Sundown.<ref name="gill2017punjab">{{cite book \|last1=Gill \|first1=K.P.S. and Khosla, S \|title=Punjab: The Enemies Within : Travails of a Wounded Land Riddled with Toxins \|date=2017 \|publisher=Bookwise (India) Pvt. Limited \|isbn=9788187330660 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n3zHAQAACAAJ}}</ref>

	Other options such as negotiations were opted for instead. The negotiations failed and the law and order situation in Punjab continued to deteriorate. In April 1983, [[A.S. Atwal]] the [[Deputy inspector general of police#India\|Deputy Inspector General]] in [[Punjab Police (India)\|Punjab Police]] was murdered by a follower of [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] at the steps of [[Golden temple]].<ref name="gill2017punjab"/> In June 1984 [[Operation Blue Star]] was carried out by the [[Indian Army]] to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the [[Harmandir Sahib]] Complex in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab, India\|Punjab]].<ref name="TH_Mi6">{{cite news\|title=RAW chief consulted MI6 in build-up to Operation Bluestar\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/raw-chief-consulted-mi6-in-buildup-to-operation-bluestar/article5579516.ece\|publisher=[[The Hindu]]\|date=16 January 2014\|accessdate=31 January 2014\|location=Chennai, India\|first=Praveen\|last=Swami}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|last=Singh\|first=Parmjeet\|title=Operation Sundown – Plan to abduct Sant Bhindranwale from Guru Nanak Niwas in Dec. 1983 – More chapters of black history of India coming into light\|date=February 2014\|url=http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2014/02/01/operation-sundown-plan-to-abduct-sant-bhindranwale-from-guru-nanak-niwas-in-dec-1983-more-chapters-of-black-history-of-india-coming-into-light/\|publisher=Sikh Siyasat News\|accessdate=2 February ~~2022~~}}</ref>		Other options such as negotiations were opted for instead. The negotiations failed and the law and order situation in Punjab continued to deteriorate. In April 1983, [[A.S. Atwal]] the [[Deputy inspector general of police#India\|Deputy Inspector General]] in [[Punjab Police (India)\|Punjab Police]] was murdered by a follower of [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] at the steps of [[Golden temple]].<ref name="gill2017punjab"/> In June 1984 [[Operation Blue Star]] was carried out by the [[Indian Army]] to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the [[Harmandir Sahib]] Complex in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab, India\|Punjab]].<ref name="TH_Mi6">{{cite news\|title=RAW chief consulted MI6 in build-up to Operation Bluestar\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/raw-chief-consulted-mi6-in-buildup-to-operation-bluestar/article5579516.ece\|publisher=[[The Hindu]]\|date=16 January 2014\|accessdate=31 January 2014\|location=Chennai, India\|first=Praveen\|last=Swami}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|last=Singh\|first=Parmjeet\|title=Operation Sundown – Plan to abduct Sant Bhindranwale from Guru Nanak Niwas in Dec. 1983 – More chapters of black history of India coming into light\|date=February 2014\|url=http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2014/02/01/operation-sundown-plan-to-abduct-sant-bhindranwale-from-guru-nanak-niwas-in-dec-1983-more-chapters-of-black-history-of-india-coming-into-light/\|publisher=Sikh Siyasat News\|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>

	Operation Sundown was revealed almost after three decades in January 2014 by [[India Today]] Magazine through investigation of UK's declassified Top Secret documents.		Operation Sundown was revealed almost after three decades in January 2014 by [[India Today]] Magazine through investigation of UK's declassified Top Secret documents.

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← Older revision		Revision as of 05:46, 15 August 2022
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{Use Indian English\|date=June ~~2018~~}}		{{Use Indian English\|date=June 2022}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=June ~~2018~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=June 2022}}
	{{Indira Gandhi series}}		{{Indira Gandhi series}}
	'''Operation Sundown''' was codename of a covert plan of India's external intelligence agency [[Research & Analysis Wing]] (R&AW), in which the [[Special Group (India)\|Special Group]], which is an ultra-secretive armed unit of the R&AW, was to abduct Sikh extremist leader [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] from Guru Nanak Niwas in the [[Golden Temple]] complex, [[Amritsar]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|title=Indira Gandhi considered secret commando raid before Operation Bluestar\|last=Unnithan\|first=Sandeep\|date=\|website=\|publisher=India Today\|url-status=live\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313151801/http://m.indiatoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|archive-date=13 March 2016\|accessdate=2 February ~~2014~~}}</ref>		'''Operation Sundown''' was codename of a covert plan of India's external intelligence agency [[Research & Analysis Wing]] (R&AW), in which the [[Special Group (India)\|Special Group]], which is an ultra-secretive armed unit of the R&AW, was to abduct Sikh extremist leader [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] from Guru Nanak Niwas in the [[Golden Temple]] complex, [[Amritsar]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|title=Indira Gandhi considered secret commando raid before Operation Bluestar\|last=Unnithan\|first=Sandeep\|date=\|website=\|publisher=India Today\|url-status=live\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313151801/http://m.indiatoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|archive-date=13 March 2016\|accessdate=2 February 2022}}</ref>

	== The operation ==		== The operation ==
	The rehearsals for the operation were carried out in the base. But, the operation was never started due to the then [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Indira Gandhi]]’s rejection. She did not want to hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by carrying out the operation. In addition there was a risk of numerous casualties as a [[collateral damage]] of the operation. Golden Temple was one of the most popular and revered sites in Punjab. Gandhi denied the approval to initiate Operation Sundown.<ref name="gill2017punjab">{{cite book \|last1=Gill \|first1=K.P.S. and Khosla, S \|title=Punjab: The Enemies Within : Travails of a Wounded Land Riddled with Toxins \|date=2017 \|publisher=Bookwise (India) Pvt. Limited ~~\|location=[http://www.jantakareporter.com/blog/operation-blue-star-bhindranwale/123753/ Excerpt]~~ \|isbn=9788187330660 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n3zHAQAACAAJ}}</ref>		The rehearsals for the operation were carried out in the base. But, the operation was never started due to the then [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Indira Gandhi]]’s rejection. She did not want to hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by carrying out the operation. In addition there was a risk of numerous casualties as a [[collateral damage]] of the operation. Golden Temple was one of the most popular and revered sites in Punjab. Gandhi denied the approval to initiate Operation Sundown.<ref name="gill2017punjab">{{cite book \|last1=Gill \|first1=K.P.S. and Khosla, S \|title=Punjab: The Enemies Within : Travails of a Wounded Land Riddled with Toxins \|date=2017 \|publisher=Bookwise (India) Pvt. Limited \|isbn=9788187330660 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n3zHAQAACAAJ}}</ref>

	Other options such as negotiations were opted for instead. The negotiations failed and the law and order situation in Punjab continued to deteriorate. In April 1983, [[A.S. Atwal]] the [[Deputy inspector general of police#India\|Deputy Inspector General]] in [[Punjab Police (India)\|Punjab Police]] was murdered by a follower of [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] at the steps of [[Golden temple]].<ref name="gill2017punjab"/> In June 1984 [[Operation Blue Star]] was carried out by the [[Indian Army]] to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the [[Harmandir Sahib]] Complex in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab, India\|Punjab]].<ref name="TH_Mi6">{{cite news\|title=RAW chief consulted MI6 in build-up to Operation Bluestar\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/raw-chief-consulted-mi6-in-buildup-to-operation-bluestar/article5579516.ece\|publisher=[[The Hindu]]\|date=16 January 2014\|accessdate=31 January 2014\|location=Chennai, India\|first=Praveen\|last=Swami}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|last=Singh\|first=Parmjeet\|title=Operation Sundown – Plan to abduct Sant Bhindranwale from Guru Nanak Niwas in Dec. 1983 – More chapters of black history of India coming into light\|date=February 2014\|url=http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2014/02/01/operation-sundown-plan-to-abduct-sant-bhindranwale-from-guru-nanak-niwas-in-dec-1983-more-chapters-of-black-history-of-india-coming-into-light/\|publisher=Sikh Siyasat News\|accessdate=2 February ~~2014~~}}</ref>		Other options such as negotiations were opted for instead. The negotiations failed and the law and order situation in Punjab continued to deteriorate. In April 1983, [[A.S. Atwal]] the [[Deputy inspector general of police#India\|Deputy Inspector General]] in [[Punjab Police (India)\|Punjab Police]] was murdered by a follower of [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] at the steps of [[Golden temple]].<ref name="gill2017punjab"/> In June 1984 [[Operation Blue Star]] was carried out by the [[Indian Army]] to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the [[Harmandir Sahib]] Complex in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab, India\|Punjab]].<ref name="TH_Mi6">{{cite news\|title=RAW chief consulted MI6 in build-up to Operation Bluestar\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/raw-chief-consulted-mi6-in-buildup-to-operation-bluestar/article5579516.ece\|publisher=[[The Hindu]]\|date=16 January 2014\|accessdate=31 January 2014\|location=Chennai, India\|first=Praveen\|last=Swami}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|last=Singh\|first=Parmjeet\|title=Operation Sundown – Plan to abduct Sant Bhindranwale from Guru Nanak Niwas in Dec. 1983 – More chapters of black history of India coming into light\|date=February 2014\|url=http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2014/02/01/operation-sundown-plan-to-abduct-sant-bhindranwale-from-guru-nanak-niwas-in-dec-1983-more-chapters-of-black-history-of-india-coming-into-light/\|publisher=Sikh Siyasat News\|accessdate=2 February 2022}}</ref>

	Operation Sundown was revealed almost after three decades in January 2014 by [[India Today]] Magazine through investigation of UK's declassified Top Secret documents.		Operation Sundown was revealed almost after three decades in January 2014 by [[India Today]] Magazine through investigation of UK's declassified Top Secret documents.
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	[[Category:Indira Gandhi administration]]		[[Category:Indira Gandhi administration]]
	[[Category:Operations involving Indian special forces]]		[[Category:Operations involving Indian special forces]]
	[[Category:Religious terrorism]]		[[Category:Religious terrorism in Asia]]
	[[Category:~~Counter-terrorism~~ in India]]		[[Category:Counterterrorism in India]]

->Moneytrees: remove content copied from https://www.jantakareporter.com/blog/operation-blue-star-bhindranwale/123753/

2021-10-31T23:58:56Z

remove content copied from https://www.jantakareporter.com/blog/operation-blue-star-bhindranwale/123753/

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:28, 1 November 2021
Line 2:		Line 2:
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=June 2018}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=June 2018}}
	{{Indira Gandhi series}}		{{Indira Gandhi series}}
	'''Operation Sundown''' was codename of a covert plan of India's external intelligence agency [[Research & Analysis Wing]] (R&AW), in which the [[Special Group (India)\|Special Group]], which is an ultra-secretive armed unit of the R&AW, was to abduct Sikh extremist leader [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] from Guru Nanak Niwas in the [[Golden Temple]] complex, [[Amritsar]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|title=Indira Gandhi considered secret commando raid before Operation Bluestar\|last=Unnithan\|first=Sandeep\|date=\|website=\|publisher=India Today\|url-status=live\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313151801/http://m.indiatoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|archive-date=13 March 2016\|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> ~~A R&AW unit was formed to rehearse Operation Sundown in the [[Sarsawa Air Force Base]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]].~~		'''Operation Sundown''' was codename of a covert plan of India's external intelligence agency [[Research & Analysis Wing]] (R&AW), in which the [[Special Group (India)\|Special Group]], which is an ultra-secretive armed unit of the R&AW, was to abduct Sikh extremist leader [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] from Guru Nanak Niwas in the [[Golden Temple]] complex, [[Amritsar]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|title=Indira Gandhi considered secret commando raid before Operation Bluestar\|last=Unnithan\|first=Sandeep\|date=\|website=\|publisher=India Today\|url-status=live\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313151801/http://m.indiatoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html\|archive-date=13 March 2016\|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>

	== The operation ==		== The operation ==
	The rehearsals for the operation were carried out in the base. But, the operation was never started due to the then [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Indira Gandhi]]’s rejection. She did not want to hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by carrying out the operation. In addition there was a risk of numerous casualties as a [[collateral damage]] of the operation. Golden Temple was one of the ~~highly respected~~ and ~~most visited~~ sites in Punjab~~. Civilian deaths within such a sacred place was unavoidable~~. Gandhi denied the approval to initiate Operation Sundown.<ref name="gill2017punjab">{{cite book \|last1=Gill \|first1=K.P.S. and Khosla, S \|title=Punjab: The Enemies Within : Travails of a Wounded Land Riddled with Toxins \|date=2017 \|publisher=Bookwise (India) Pvt. Limited \|location=[http://www.jantakareporter.com/blog/operation-blue-star-bhindranwale/123753/ Excerpt] \|isbn=9788187330660 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n3zHAQAACAAJ}}</ref>		The rehearsals for the operation were carried out in the base. But, the operation was never started due to the then [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Indira Gandhi]]’s rejection. She did not want to hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by carrying out the operation. In addition there was a risk of numerous casualties as a [[collateral damage]] of the operation. Golden Temple was one of the most popular and revered sites in Punjab. Gandhi denied the approval to initiate Operation Sundown.<ref name="gill2017punjab">{{cite book \|last1=Gill \|first1=K.P.S. and Khosla, S \|title=Punjab: The Enemies Within : Travails of a Wounded Land Riddled with Toxins \|date=2017 \|publisher=Bookwise (India) Pvt. Limited \|location=[http://www.jantakareporter.com/blog/operation-blue-star-bhindranwale/123753/ Excerpt] \|isbn=9788187330660 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n3zHAQAACAAJ}}</ref>

	Other options such as negotiations were opted for instead. The negotiations failed and the law and order situation in Punjab continued to deteriorate. In April 1983, [[A.S. Atwal]] the [[Deputy inspector general of police#India\|Deputy Inspector General]] in [[Punjab Police (India)\|Punjab Police]] was murdered by a follower of [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] at the steps of [[Golden temple]].<ref name="gill2017punjab"/> In June 1984 [[Operation Blue Star]] was carried out by the [[Indian Army]] to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the [[Harmandir Sahib]] Complex in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab, India\|Punjab]].<ref name="TH_Mi6">{{cite news\|title=RAW chief consulted MI6 in build-up to Operation Bluestar\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/raw-chief-consulted-mi6-in-buildup-to-operation-bluestar/article5579516.ece\|publisher=[[The Hindu]]\|date=16 January 2014\|accessdate=31 January 2014\|location=Chennai, India\|first=Praveen\|last=Swami}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|last=Singh\|first=Parmjeet\|title=Operation Sundown – Plan to abduct Sant Bhindranwale from Guru Nanak Niwas in Dec. 1983 – More chapters of black history of India coming into light\|date=February 2014\|url=http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2014/02/01/operation-sundown-plan-to-abduct-sant-bhindranwale-from-guru-nanak-niwas-in-dec-1983-more-chapters-of-black-history-of-india-coming-into-light/\|publisher=Sikh Siyasat News\|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>		Other options such as negotiations were opted for instead. The negotiations failed and the law and order situation in Punjab continued to deteriorate. In April 1983, [[A.S. Atwal]] the [[Deputy inspector general of police#India\|Deputy Inspector General]] in [[Punjab Police (India)\|Punjab Police]] was murdered by a follower of [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] at the steps of [[Golden temple]].<ref name="gill2017punjab"/> In June 1984 [[Operation Blue Star]] was carried out by the [[Indian Army]] to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the [[Harmandir Sahib]] Complex in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab, India\|Punjab]].<ref name="TH_Mi6">{{cite news\|title=RAW chief consulted MI6 in build-up to Operation Bluestar\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/raw-chief-consulted-mi6-in-buildup-to-operation-bluestar/article5579516.ece\|publisher=[[The Hindu]]\|date=16 January 2014\|accessdate=31 January 2014\|location=Chennai, India\|first=Praveen\|last=Swami}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|last=Singh\|first=Parmjeet\|title=Operation Sundown – Plan to abduct Sant Bhindranwale from Guru Nanak Niwas in Dec. 1983 – More chapters of black history of India coming into light\|date=February 2014\|url=http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2014/02/01/operation-sundown-plan-to-abduct-sant-bhindranwale-from-guru-nanak-niwas-in-dec-1983-more-chapters-of-black-history-of-india-coming-into-light/\|publisher=Sikh Siyasat News\|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>

imported>Peter Ormond at 00:31, 18 July 2021

2021-07-18T00:31:43Z

New page

{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Indira Gandhi series}}
'''Operation Sundown''' was codename of a covert plan of India's external intelligence agency [[Research & Analysis Wing]] (R&AW), in which the [[Special Group (India)|Special Group]], which is an ultra-secretive armed unit of the R&AW, was to abduct Sikh extremist leader [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] from Guru Nanak Niwas in the [[Golden Temple]] complex, [[Amritsar]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html|title=Indira Gandhi considered secret commando raid before Operation Bluestar|last=Unnithan|first=Sandeep|date=|website=|publisher=India Today|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313151801/http://m.indiatoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-commando-raid-operation-bluestar-indian-army-golden-temple-jarnail-singh-bhindranwale-raw-officials/1/341065.html|archive-date=13 March 2016|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref> A R&AW unit was formed to rehearse Operation Sundown in the [[Sarsawa Air Force Base]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]].

== The operation ==
The rehearsals for the operation were carried out in the base. But, the operation was never started due to the then [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Indira Gandhi]]’s rejection. She did not want to hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by carrying out the operation. In addition there was a risk of numerous casualties as a [[collateral damage]] of the operation. Golden Temple was one of the highly respected and most visited sites in Punjab. Civilian deaths within such a sacred place was unavoidable. Gandhi denied the approval to initiate Operation Sundown.<ref name="gill2017punjab">{{cite book |last1=Gill |first1=K.P.S. and Khosla, S |title=Punjab: The Enemies Within : Travails of a Wounded Land Riddled with Toxins |date=2017 |publisher=Bookwise (India) Pvt. Limited |location=[http://www.jantakareporter.com/blog/operation-blue-star-bhindranwale/123753/ Excerpt] |isbn=9788187330660 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n3zHAQAACAAJ}}</ref>

Other options such as negotiations were opted for instead. The negotiations failed and the law and order situation in Punjab continued to deteriorate. In April 1983, [[A.S. Atwal]] the [[Deputy inspector general of police#India|Deputy Inspector General]] in [[Punjab Police (India)|Punjab Police]] was murdered by a follower of [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] at the steps of [[Golden temple]].<ref name="gill2017punjab"/> In June 1984 [[Operation Blue Star]] was carried out by the [[Indian Army]] to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the [[Harmandir Sahib]] Complex in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].<ref name="TH_Mi6">{{cite news|title=RAW chief consulted MI6 in build-up to Operation Bluestar|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/raw-chief-consulted-mi6-in-buildup-to-operation-bluestar/article5579516.ece|publisher=[[The Hindu]]|date=16 January 2014|accessdate=31 January 2014|location=Chennai, India|first=Praveen|last=Swami}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Singh|first=Parmjeet|title=Operation Sundown – Plan to abduct Sant Bhindranwale from Guru Nanak Niwas in Dec. 1983 – More chapters of black history of India coming into light|date=February 2014|url=http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2014/02/01/operation-sundown-plan-to-abduct-sant-bhindranwale-from-guru-nanak-niwas-in-dec-1983-more-chapters-of-black-history-of-india-coming-into-light/|publisher=Sikh Siyasat News|accessdate=2 February 2014}}</ref>

Operation Sundown was revealed almost after three decades in January 2014 by [[India Today]] Magazine through investigation of UK's declassified Top Secret documents.

== See also ==

* [[Operation Blue Star]]
* [[Special Group (India)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:History of Sikhism]]
[[Category:1983 in India]]
[[Category:2014 in India]]
[[Category:Sikh terrorism in India]]
[[Category:Amritsar]]
[[Category:Insurgency in Punjab]]
[[Category:1984 in India]]
[[Category:Indira Gandhi administration]]
[[Category:Operations involving Indian special forces]]
[[Category:Religious terrorism]]
[[Category:Counter-terrorism in India]]