General Labh Singh: Difference between revisions

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Sukhdev Singh (1952 - July 12, 1988), known as '''Labh Singh''', ''Sukha Sipahi'' and ''General Labh Singh'', was a former [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] [[police]] officer<ref name="lal">{{harvnb|Mahmood|1997|p=[http://books.google.com/books?id=8QufTc6fAocC&pg=RA1-PA155&dq=hari+singh+labh+general&lr=&ei=i1w3SvXiLYzUkwS098mgBQ 155]}}</ref> who took command of the [[Khalistan Commando Force]] after its first leader, [[Manbir Singh Chaheru]], was arrested in 1986.<ref name="Indiamostwanted">{{cite news|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PbMTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=po4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6842,2750498|title=India's most-wanted terrorist captured|date=August 11, 1986|publisher=New Straits Times Foreign News Service |accessdate=2009-06-26}}</ref>
'''Labh Singh''' (or "General Labh Singh") was a former [[Punjab Police]] officer<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=8QufTc6fAocC&pg=RA1-PA155&dq=hari+singh+labh+general&lr=&ei=i1w3SvXiLYzUkwS098mgBQ Fighting for Faith and Nation By Cynthia Keppley Mahmood - Page 155]</ref> who took command of the [[Khalistan Commando Force]] after its founder, General [[Manbir Singh Chaheru]], died in late 1980s <ref>http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/retrieve/726/etd1604.pdf</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=b8k4rEPvq_8C&pg=PA242&dq=chaheru+labh&lr=&ei=OFs3St-ALozMlQSanoWsBQ Encyclopedia of modern worldwide extremists and extremist groups by Stephen E. Atkins]</ref>. He was an associate of Sant [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] and he had fought against Indian army during [[Operation Bluestar]]<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=wA3yjdgyY9kC&printsec=frontcover&dq=general+labh+singh+jarnail+singh&lr=&ei=nlM3Sv7IGILClQS85PDBBQ#PRA1-PA79-IA10,M1 Fighting for faith and nation By Cynthia Keppley Mahmood]</ref>. He was credited for re-structuring [[Khalistan Commando Force]] with a fluid hierarchy. He was involved in the attack on the Director-General of the [[Punjab Police]] [[Julio Francis Ribeiro]]. He also took part in the Indian history's biggest bank robbery of Rs. 5.70 [[crore]] ($4.5 million) from [[Punjab National Bank]], Miller Gunj branch, [[Ludhiana]]<ref name="tribuneindia.com">http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081010/punjab1.htm#11</ref> to finance violent campaign for a separate Sikh state of [[Khalistan]].<ref name="pqasb.pqarchiver.com"/><ref>http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3810376.html</ref>.
<ref name="encycloextreme">{{cite book|last=Atkins|first=Stephen E.|title=Encyclopedia of modern worldwide extremists and extremist groups|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|location=page 242|date=2004|edition=illustrated|pages=404|isbn=0313324859, 9780313324857|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=b8k4rEPvq_8C&vq|accessdate=June 26, 2009}}</ref>
 
He was an associate of [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] and fought against the [[Indian Army]] during [[Operation Bluestar]].<ref name="lal79">{{harvnb|Mahmood|1997|p=[http://books.google.com/books?id=wA3yjdgyY9kC&printsec=frontcover&dq=general+labh+singh+jarnail+singh&lr=&ei=nlM3Sv7IGILClQS85PDBBQ#PRA1-PA79-IA10,M1 79]}}</ref>
He was involved in the attack on the Director-General of the [[Punjab Police]], [[Julio Francis Ribeiro]].
He masterminded what was then India's largest bank robbery,<ref name="books.google.com">{{cite web|url=http://books.google.com/books?ei=wLZXSorlFI_CNp-23ZIH&id=5ppuAAAAMAAJ&dq=labh+singh+kcf+wife&q=labh+singh+largest |title=Terrorism: Punjab's recurring nightmare - Google Books |publisher=Books.google.com |date=2008-09-05 |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref><ref name="pqasb.pqarchiver.com"/> taking almost Rs. 6 [[crore]] ($4.5 million) from the [[Punjab National Bank]], Miller Gunj branch, [[Ludhiana]].<ref name="pqasb.pqarchiver.com">{{cite web|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58240583.html?dids=58240583:58240583&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Feb+13%2C+1987&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Sikh+Separatists+Masquerade+as+Police+to+Stage+India's+Biggest+Bank+Robbery&pqatl=google |title=Sikh Separatists Masquerade as Police to Stage India's Biggest Bank Robbery |publisher=Pqasb.pqarchiver.com |date=1987-02-13 |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref><ref name="highbeam1">http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3810376.html</ref><ref name="tribuneindia.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081010/punjab1.htm#11 |title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Punjab |publisher=Tribuneindia.com |date= |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref><ref name="highbeam.com">http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3810376.html</ref> which enabled the [[Khalistan Commando Force]] to buy weapons.<ref>[ http://books.google.com/books?id=WD9uAAAAMAAJ&q=ludhiana+bank+robbery&dq=ludhiana+bank+robbery&lr=&ei=4t9aSsytFIrelATIw6yaBw The Sikh unrest and the Indian state by By Ram Narayan Kumar, Page 267]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://books.google.com/books?lr=&ei=KOlaSp6wCIz4lQThnY2XBw&id=3eBuAAAAMAAJ&dq=labh+singh%27s+robbery&q=robbery |title=Identity and survival: Sikh ... - Google Books |publisher=Books.google.com |date=2008-09-05 |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref>




Revision as of 01:04, 21 August 2009

Labh Singh (or "General Labh Singh") was a former Punjab Police officer[1] who took command of the Khalistan Commando Force after its founder, General Manbir Singh Chaheru, died in late 1980s [2][3]. He was an associate of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and he had fought against Indian army during Operation Bluestar[4]. He was credited for re-structuring Khalistan Commando Force with a fluid hierarchy. He was involved in the attack on the Director-General of the Punjab Police Julio Francis Ribeiro. He also took part in the Indian history's biggest bank robbery of Rs. 5.70 crore ($4.5 million) from Punjab National Bank, Miller Gunj branch, Ludhiana[5] to finance violent campaign for a separate Sikh state of Khalistan.[6][7].


Early life

Labh Singh's original name was Sukhdev Singh and he was also known as Sukha Sipahi[8][9]. He was born in 1952 to Mr. Puran Singh and Mrs. Kulwant Kaur in the village of Panjwar, District Amritsar, Punjab, India.

He lived in the village of Panjwar, in Tehsil (sub-district) Patti in district Amritsar[10][11][12] and owned 9 acres of land.[13][10] He had one older brother, named Daljeet Singh.[14]Cite error Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag; $2 His marriage took place in 1980, his wife’s name was Davinder Kaur.[15] and had two sons Rajashwar Singh and Pardeep Singh.

Twelve years in the police

After finishing his education at Baba Buddha Sahib College.[16], Labh Singh joined the police force in 1971 and continued to serve the force untill he left his job 12 years later[17] in 1983. Even during his service years, he was into the Sikh faith. The story goes that one time, when his relatives had come to meet him at Bhikhiwind Thana, he beat up an alleged Sikh-hating Hindu police officer called Nanda.[18]

Association with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale

In 1983, after he met Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, he left the Punjab police and joined the Sikh militant movement[19]. In May 1984, he, along with Gursewak Singh Babla[20], Gurinder Singh and Swaranjit Singh, was accused of killing Hind Samachar newspaper group editor Ramesh Chander[21] who was an outspoken critic of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and who wrote that Punjab state has become a slaughterhouse[22]. As per a phone call received at Indian news agency afterwards, “it was notified that whoever speaks or writes against Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale will be answered with bullets”[23]. During Operation Blue Star, he fought against Indian Army along with other Sikh militants[24]. Arrested by the army after the operation[25], he was sent to Jodhpur Jail where he spent two years without trial.

Association with Khalistan Commando Force

He escaped from police cutody on April 25 1986 when Sikh militant leader Manbir Singh Chaheru and his associates attacked Indian security forces that were taking him to trail in the District courts of Jalandhar, Punjab, India[26]. He along with Gurinder Singh and Swaranjit Singh, was to appear in court on charges of slaying Ramesh Chander, a leading Hindu newspaper editor. Militants freed all three prisoners. Four police officers were killed inside the District Court complex and two other officers were shot at the courtyard gate as the attackers fled. [27]. 16 other armed court guards cowered in fear. As per police statement, the sentries were too terrified to fire back. Attackers also took away three rifles and a submachine gun of the slain officers[28][29][30][31][32][33][34].

After KCF's first commander-in-chief Manbir Singh Chaheru's arrest and alleged disappearance, Labh Singh took over the leadership of Khalistan Commando Force[35][36] and re-created it with a fluid hierarchy, enabling it to accommodate any potential setbacks. He was the undisputed head of this force until his death. He appointed half a dozen Lieutenant Generals, each independent of each other, with each of them having Area Commanders. As such, the death of a Lieutenant General, for example, would result in the promotion of an Area Commander[37]. After his death this organisation was headed by Kanwarjit Singh Sultanwind. After Kanwarjit Singh Sultanwind's death, Paramjeet Singh Panjwar became the General of his organisation.

He was involved in several police encounters including daylight attack on the Director-General of the Punjab Police Julio Francis Ribeiro on October 3, 1986 inside the headquarters of Punjab Armed Police in the city of Jalandhar, Punjab, India[38][39][40].

He masterminded what was at that time the largest bank robbery in Indian history netting almost 6 crore (58 million rupees-US$4.5 million) from Millar Ganj branch branch of Punjab National Bank, Ludhiana[41] a part of this stolen money belonged to the Reserve Bank of India, India's central bank.[42][43] Per Chicago Sun Times, "12 to 15 Sikh militants dressed as policemen and armed with submachine guns and rifles escaped with nearly $4.5 million in the biggest bank robbery in Indian history. Indian Police officials described it as 'a neat and clean operation' where no one was injured".[44] It was documented as “Biggest Bank Robbery” under “Curiosities and wonders” in Limca Book of Records.[45] Khalistan Commando Force members who participated in the robbery were Harjinder Singh Jinda, Mathra Singh,[46] Paramjit Singh Panjwar,[47] Satnam Singh Bawa,[48] Gurnam Singh Bundala[49] Sukhdev Singh Sukha, Daljit Singh Bittu,[50][51][52] Gursharan Singh Gamma[51][53][54] and Pritpal Singh.[55] It enabled the Khalistan Commando Force to buy sophisticated weapons[56] and AK-47 rifles.[57] Sikh militants often used bank robberies to finance their campaign against the Indian government.[6]

Labh Singh also maintained his links with Babbar Khalsa International[58]

Death and afterwards

He was killed in an exchange of fire with the police near Tanda, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India (Faultlines, May 1999, vol. 1.1, p. 29, New Delhi: Institute of Conflict Management.)[59][60][61]. At the time of his death, he himself was wanted in connection with the murder of a dozen policemen, a newspaper editor Ramesh Chander, an attempt on the life of former Punjab Police Chief Julio Francis Ribeiro and a major Bank robbery of Ludhiana. Amritsar police Superintendent Suresh Arora declared that with his killing, police has broken the back of the KCF[62]. His entire family was forced to migrate to Canada after his death though his father-in-law stayed on in Labh Singh's house. However, he committed suicide by jumping himself before a train after he was ‘mercilessly’ beaten up by the Punjab Police[63]. The ancestral house of Sukha Sipahi, which remained abandoned for years after his killing, is occupied by his relatives now[64].

References

  1. ^ Fighting for Faith and Nation By Cynthia Keppley Mahmood - Page 155
  2. ^ http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/retrieve/726/etd1604.pdf
  3. ^ Encyclopedia of modern worldwide extremists and extremist groups by Stephen E. Atkins
  4. ^ Fighting for faith and nation By Cynthia Keppley Mahmood
  5. ^ http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081010/punjab1.htm#11
  6. ^ a b Cite error Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pqasb.pqarchiver.com; $2
  7. ^ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3810376.html
  8. ^ Terrorism & It's Effects By Juan Sanchez, various
  9. ^ Genesis of terrorism By Satyapal Dang
  10. ^ a b The Journal of Commonwealth ... - Google Books http://books.google.com/books?lr=&ei=WfFaSuC9EYP-lQSU_dDeAQ&id=ZiZnAAAAMAAJ&dq=labh+singh+born+panjwar&q=labh Books.google.com 2008-06-12 Retrieved 2009-08-09
  11. ^ Social and political movements by Harish K. Puri, Paramjit S. Judge, Page 391
  12. ^ The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Punjab http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010310/punjab1.htm Tribuneindia.com Retrieved 2009-08-09
  13. ^ Terrorism By Gurpreet Singh, Gourav Jaswal, Page 97
  14. ^ India Today, Page 66
  15. ^ World Sikh News
  16. ^ http://www.sikhfreedom.com/labh.html Biography of Labh Singh (from Khalistani POV)
  17. ^ Fighting for Faith and Nation By Cynthia Keppley Mahmood - Page 155
  18. ^ http://www.sikhfreedom.com/labh.html Biography of Labh Singh (from Khalistani POV)
  19. ^ The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News
  20. ^ The Times of India, Aug 27, 2004
  21. ^ Wilmington Morning Star, Apr 6, 1986
  22. ^ Chicago Tribune, May 13, 1984
  23. ^ Wilmington Morning Star, May 13, 1984
  24. ^ Fighting for faith and nation By Cynthia Keppley Mahmood
  25. ^ New Straits Times Malaysia, Jul 13, 1988
  26. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=8QufTc6fAocC&pg=PA168&dq=general+labh+singh+fighting+for+faith+and+nation&lr=&num=100&ei=upDaSOfhJKDitQPG2-XeDg&sig=ACfU3U2YnlXSW49kQTTEBo8RDhPhpDFIfQ
  27. ^ Wilmington Morning Star, Apr 6, 1986 Sikhs kill 6 on courthouse steps
  28. ^ The Courier - Apr 6, 1986
  29. ^ Los Angeles Times - Apr 6, 1986
  30. ^ Chicago Tribune, Apr 5, 1986
  31. ^ The Free-Lance Star - Apr 5, 1986
  32. ^ Ludington Daily News - Apr 4, 1986
  33. ^ [ http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TRoSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Uu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3324,3332405&dq=court+jullundur+police The Spokesman-Review, Apr 6, 1986]
  34. ^ [ http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QGgVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5549,1304617&dq=court+jullundur+police Eugene Register-Guard - Apr 6, 1986]
  35. ^ Fighting for Faith and Nation by By Cynthia Keppley Mahmood - Page 155
  36. ^ 'Encyclopedia of modern worldwide extremists and extremist groups' by Stephen E. Atkins
  37. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=AK6QA_WotRYC&pg=PT161&dq=general+labh+singh&ei=Rj83Sq-cM5DOlQSi97GnAQ
  38. ^ http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020125/punjab1.htm
  39. ^ http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=4e9019ee-c9cd-4459-8a1f-e4f08238125e
  40. ^ http://www.sikhtimes.com/sikhism_timeline.html
  41. ^ Terrorism: Punjab's recurring nightmare - Google Books http://books.google.com/books?ei=wLZXSorlFI_CNp-23ZIH&id=5ppuAAAAMAAJ&dq=labh+singh+kcf+wife&q=labh+singh+largest Books.google.com 2008-09-05 Retrieved 2009-08-09
  42. ^ Sikh Separatists Masquerade as Police to Stage India's Biggest Bank Robbery http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58240583.html?dids=58240583:58240583&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Feb+13%2C+1987&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Sikh+Separatists+Masquerade+as+Police+to+Stage+India's+Biggest+Bank+Robbery&pqatl=google Pqasb.pqarchiver.com 1987-02-13 Retrieved 2009-08-09
  43. ^ Cite error Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named highbeam1; $2
  44. ^ Chicago Sun Times
  45. ^ Limca Book of Records
  46. ^ Asian Recorder
  47. ^ Tags : Posted: Thursday , Dec 04, 2008 at 2024 hrs Paramjit Singh Panjwar (Khalistan Commando Force) http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Paramjit-Singh-Panjwar--Khalistan-Commando-Force-/394235 Indianexpress.com 2008-12-04 Retrieved 2009-08-09
  48. ^ Asian recorder - Google Books http://books.google.com/books?ei=MDxcSs_PDJOilQSPhLmtDQ&id=YqBtAAAAMAAJ&dq=labh+singh+largest+bank+robbery+Punjab+National+Bank+Terrorism+1987&q=robbery Books.google.com 2008-08-26 Retrieved 2009-08-09
  49. ^ Police arrest `dead' terrorist http://www.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19981012/28551244.html Indianexpress.com 1998-10-12 Retrieved 2009-08-09
  50. ^ http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=203376
  51. ^ a b http://www.indiarightsonline.com/Sabrang/armed1.nsf/38b852a8345861dd65256a980059289d/308bbafc7afcad6fe5256be600458270/$FILE/bac37002.pdf
  52. ^ http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=148524
  53. ^ f Killers of Lalit Maken held http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:-RHqp3Lku8gJ:www.indiarightsonline.com/Sabrang/armed1.nsf/38b852a8345861dd65256a980059289d/308bbafc7afcad6fe5256be600458270/%24FILE/bac37002.pdf+biggest+bank+robbery+ludhiana&cd=37&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us 74.125.95.132 Retrieved 2009-08-09
  54. ^ http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=203376
  55. ^ News & Current Events http://www.ministryoftruth.org.uk/category/news-current-events/ Ministry of Truth Retrieved 2009-08-09
  56. ^ {{ #if: Kumar | {{ #if: | [[|{{ #if: Kumar | Kumar{{ #if: Ram Narayan | , Ram Narayan }} | {{{author}}} }}]] | {{ #if: Kumar | Kumar{{ #if: Ram Narayan | , Ram Narayan }} | {{{author}}} }} }} }}{{ #if: Kumar | {{ #if: | ; }} }}{{ #if: | [{{{origdate}}}] | {{ #if: | {{ #if: | [{{{origmonth}}} {{{origyear}}}] | [{{{origyear}}}] }} }} }}{{ #if: 1997 | (1997) | {{ #if: | {{ #if: | ({{{month}}} {{{year}}}) | ({{{year}}}) }} }} }}{{ #if: Kumar | . }}{{ #if: | "{{ #if: | [{{{chapterurl}}} {{{chapter}}}] | {{{chapter}}} }}",}}{{ #if: | in {{{editor}}}: }} {{ #if: http://books.google.com/books?id=WD9uAAAAMAAJ& | The Sikh unrest and the Indian state: politics, personalities, and historical retrospective | The Sikh unrest and the Indian state: politics, personalities, and historical retrospective }}{{ #if: | ({{{format}}}) }}{{ #if: | , {{{others}}} }}{{ #if: | , {{{edition}}} }}{{ #if: | , {{{series}}} }}{{ #if: | (in {{{language}}}) }}{{ #if: Ajanta Publications,India | {{#if: | , | . }}{{ #if: page 267 | page 267: }}Ajanta Publications,India }}{{ #if: 445 | , 445 }}{{ #if: | . DOI:{{{doi}}} }}{{ #if: | . {{{id}}} }}{{ #if: 8120204530, 9788120204539 | . ISBN 8120204530, 9788120204539 }}{{ #if: | . OCLC {{{oclc}}} }}{{ #if: http://books.google.com/books?id=WD9uAAAAMAAJ& | {{ #if: | . Retrieved on [[{{{accessdate}}}]] | {{ #if: | . Retrieved {{ #if: | on [[{{{accessmonth}}} {{{accessyear}}}]] | during [[{{{accessyear}}}]] }}}} }} }}.{{ #if: It was only after the big bank robbery at Ludhiana in February 1987 that they could purchase sophisticated weapons; there was only one sten gun in the entire state. |  “It was only after the big bank robbery at Ludhiana in February 1987 that they could purchase sophisticated weapons; there was only one sten gun in the entire state.” }} </in
  57. ^ Identity and survival: Sikh ... - Google Books http://books.google.com/books?lr=&ei=KOlaSp6wCIz4lQThnY2XBw&id=3eBuAAAAMAAJ&dq=labh+singh%27s+robbery&q=robbery Books.google.com 2008-09-05 Retrieved 2009-08-09
  58. ^ Genesis of terrorism: an analytical ... - Google Books http://books.google.com/books?id=0nhuAAAAMAAJ&q=Labh+Singh+bhindranwale&dq=Labh+Singh+bhindranwale&lr=&ei=i8NaSt3IDZTklASShfGrBw Books.google.com 2008-09-04 Retrieved 2009-08-09
  59. ^ http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/punjab/backgrounder/index.html
  60. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=z9GG4__JJNwC&pg=PA399&dq=general+labh+singh&ei=NUs3StXSGYSukASb1pCoAQ
  61. ^ New Straits Times Malaysia, Jul 13, 1988
  62. ^ New Straits Times Malaysia, Jul 13, 1988
  63. ^ The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News
  64. ^ The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News
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