Ajay Kumar at 07:08, 18 August 2023

2023-08-18T07:08:06Z

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{{Short description|Deputy Chief of Khalistan Commando Force}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Bhai
| name = Gurdeep Singh Deepa
| image = Photograph of Sikh militant, Gurdeep Singh Deepa Heran Wala.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| other_names =
| birth_date = {{circa|1970}}
| birth_place = Village Bulowal, [[Hoshiarpur]], [[India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1992|12|12|1970}}
| death_place = [[Garha]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] [[India]]
| death_cause = [[Suicide]]
| nationality =
| occupation =
| years_active = 1984-1992
| employer =
| organization = [[All India Sikh Student Federation]]<br>[[Khalistan Commando Force]]
| known_for =
| height =
| movement = [[Khalistan Movement]]
| honours =
}}

'''Gurdeep Singh Deepa Heran Wala''' (c. 1970 – 12 December 1992) commonly known as just '''Gurdeep Singh Deepa''' was the [[Jalandhar district|Jalandhar area]] commander and deputy chief of [[Khalistan Commando Force]] (Panjwar faction).<ref name=":0">[[Ajit (newspaper)|Ajit]] 14 December 1992</ref> By the time of his death, Gurdeep Singh Deepa was wanted in 217 killings and 37 robberies of vehicles.<ref name=":24">ਜੋ ਲਾਰੇ ਦੀਨ ਕੇ ਹੇਤ book in Punjabi by Loveshinder Singh Dalewal</ref>

== Early life ==
Gurdeep Singh Deepa was born in around 1970 in the village [[Heran]]. Not much is known about Deepa's early life except that he went to high school.<ref name=":24"/>

== Militancy ==

=== Beginning ===
Gurdeep Singh Deepa was deeply moved and hurt by [[Operation Blue Star]]. The Operation led to Deepa associating with militants.<ref name=":24"/> Deepa began to associate with militant factions of [[All India Sikh Students Federation|All India Sikh Student Federation]] and in accordance with them began to boycott the [[1985 Punjab Legislative Assembly election]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ap |date=1985-08-29 |title=AROUND THE WORLD; Sikh Faction to Boycott Elections in Punjab |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/29/world/around-the-world-sikh-faction-to-boycott-elections-in-punjab.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

=== Arrest ===
Soon after Deepa would be arrested after a man named Ram Ratan gave police a tip. Deepa was charged under [[Arms Act, 1959|Arms Acts Sections 25, 54, 59]]. He would spend 2 months in Jalandhar Jail before getting out on bail.<ref name=":24"/>

=== Killing Ram Ratan ===
As soon as Gurdeep Singh Deepa was out on bail he killed Ram Ratan while wearing a disguise.<ref name=":24"/>

=== Khalistan Commando Force ===
Gurdeep Singh Deepa joined Khalistan Commando Force in 1987 and rose the ranks. He would eventually become the area commander of Jalandhar and Deputy Chief of KCF.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O4plAAAAIBAJ&dq=gurdeep+singh+deepa&pg=PA10&article_id=2815,2611835 |title=The Indian Express |publisher=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-03-28 |title=Wanted pro-Khalistan operative arrested in Jalandhar |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/wanted-pro-khalistan-operative-arrested-in-jalandhar/story-NDc5h1uptV8Ui2WgzpwZhK.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

=== Killing Dr. Gurdial Singh ===
In 1987 Gurdeep Singh Deep and other KCF members on motorcycles shot dead [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] member, and district president Dr. Gurdial Singh.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C6HaAAAAMAAJ |title=Documents of the Communist Movement in India: 1987-1988 |date=1997 |publisher=National Book Agency |isbn=978-81-7626-000-8 |pages=359 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SagsAAAAIAAJ |title=CPI(M) in Punjab: The Martyrs of the Struggle for National Unity |date=1987 |publisher=Communist Party of India (Marxist) |pages=27 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":24"/>

=== Killing Deepak Dhawan ===
On May 19, 1987, Gurdeep Singh Deepa and other KCF members under [[Labh Singh]] killed [[Deepak Dhawan]] who was a State Committee member of the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]. Dhawan was riding his scooter near Sanghe. KCF members approached him and told him to try and run. He tried to run, but they shot him as he tried.<ref name="IDSA">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WVw8AAAAMAAJ&q=Deepak%20Dhawan |title=Institute for Defence Studies & Analysis |publisher=Institute for Defence Studies |year=1987 |pages=987, 994}}</ref><ref name="CPIMBook">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jyAmAAAAMAAJ |title=CPI(M) in Punjab: The Martyrs of the Struggle for National Unity |publisher=Communist Party of India (Marxist) |year=1987 |page=20}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=8 October 2012 |title=Ghosts of Khalistan |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/letters/ghosts-of-khalistan/article3978880.ece |accessdate=16 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=No change in Punjab under President's rule, terrorists kill three people in Tarn Taran area |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19870615-no-change-in-punjab-under-presidents-rule-terrorists-kill-three-people-in-tarn-taran-area-798943-1987-06-14 |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":24"/>

=== Killing Pash ===
On March 23, 1988, [[Pash]], whose real name was Avtar Singh Sandhu, was killed by Gurdeep Singh Deepa. Paash was a supporter of the "ultra leftist [[Naxalite Movement|Naxalite movement]]". He would write in support of communism and was a vocal critic of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-08 |title=Revolution is a Poem: Why a Punjabi poet killed by Khalistanis is ruffling feathers in contemporary India? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/avtar-singh-sandhu-pash-pash-was-assassinated-in-1988-because-he-spoke-up-against-khalistani-militants-significant-in-resistance-politics-4879677/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhardwaj |first=Deeksha |date=2018-09-09 |title=On Pash's birthday, remembering the fiery poet killed so young by terrorists |url=https://theprint.in/features/on-pashs-birthday-remembering-the-fiery-poet-killed-so-young-by-terrorists/114775/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-04-18 |title=Paash's relative seeks clemency for Bhullar |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/paash-s-relative-seeks-clemency-for-bhullar/story-yY189usat80KM1PMVOjt2J.html |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":24"/>

=== Killing Police Cats ===
On September 11, 1989, KCF member Gurdeep Singh Deepa and other members killed 3 “police cats”. (Police cats were militants turned police who became police informants within the militants.)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Refugees |first=United Nations High Commissioner for |title=Refworld {{!}} India: Information on the Black Cat Commando unit of the Punjab police, its operations, recruiting methods and recruits from 1994 to the present |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acc96c.html |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=Refworld |language=en}}</ref> The 3 had aided in the arrest of 2 Sikh militants who would be killed in extrajudicial executions <ref name=":24"/>

=== Killing Sohan Singh Dhesi ===
On September 18, 1989, Gurdeep Singh Deepa members assassinated Sohan Singh Dhesi. Dhesi was the general secretary of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujawan Sabha. He was also the State Secretary of the [[Democratic Youth Federation of India]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-18 |title=How farmers took on Khalistanis |url=https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/how-farmers-took-on-khalistanis-23156048 |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=Mid-day |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Refugees |first=United Nations High Commissioner for |title=Refworld {{!}} India: Information on the Communist Party in Punjab, including the deaths of members Das Raj Sahota in February 1989, Sohan Singh Dhesi in September 1989 and Gagandeep in June 1991 |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac8e70.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Refworld |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n6HaAAAAMAAJ |title=Documents of the Communist Movement in India: 1989-1991 |date=1997 |publisher=National Book Agency |isbn=978-81-7626-000-8 |pages=98 |language=en}}</ref><ref>ਜੁ ਲਰੈ ਦੀਨ ਕੇ ਹੇਤ by Loveshinder Singh Dallewal</ref>

=== Killing Varinder Kumar Gagan ===
On June 8, 1991, Gurdeep Singh Deepa and other KCF members killed [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|Communist Party Marxist]] candidate Varinder Kumar Gagan in [[Nakodar]]. He was killed with 2 of his gunmen and 1 party worker.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-11-06 |title=Former terrorist Sukhi acquitted in 23-year-old murder case |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/former-terrorist-sukhi-acquitted-in-23-year-old-murder-case/articleshow/45053386.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-06-02 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref name=":24"/><ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-jalandhar/20141106/281556584108563 |access-date=2023-06-02 |via=PressReader}}</ref>

=== Killing Sarwan Singh Cheema ===
On November 4, 1991, Gurdeep Singh Deepa killed Sarwan Singh Cheema the secretary of the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] and a former [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]]. He was gunned down along with security guards Santokh Singh, Ram Lubhaya, Raghubir Chand, Mohindar Singh and head constable Paramjit Singh of Punjab Police.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Nurmahal: Tributes paid to CPM leader |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/nurmahal-tributes-paid-to-cpm-leader-450755}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Chandra |first=Ramesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zJ1s6vX4m-4C&dq=sarwan+singh+cheema&pg=PA261 |title=Global Terrorism: Foreign Policy in the New Millennium |date=August 2003 |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |isbn=978-81-7835-240-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Martyr Indian Police |url=http://police.gov.in/martyr-indian-police/spo-ram-lubhaya}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Matter of the Indian Government's Request for Extradition, CIV-F-98-5489 OWW {{!}} Casetext Search + Citator |url=https://casetext.com/case/matter-of-the-indian-governments-request-for-extradition-edcal-2001 |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=casetext.com}}</ref>

=== Attack on Murli Manohar Joshi's caravan ===
On January 23, 1992, Gurdeep Singh Deepa attacked [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] President [[Murli Manohar Joshi|Muril Manohar Joshi's]] caravan. The caravan was a part of the ''[[Ekta Yatra]]''. The attack happened in [[Phagwara]]. As the caravan entered Phagwara the lead bus was attacked by Deepa and another with Ak-47's. They had disguised themselves as police officers. 3 were killed. They were the driver and 2 party workers. 40 others were injured.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fineman |first=Mark |date=1992-01-24 |title=Separatists Kill 5 Hindu Marchers : India: The attack confirms government warnings that the national unity procession could cause bloodshed. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-24-mn-680-story.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gargan |first=Edward A. |date=1992-01-27 |title=Airlifted Hindu Nationalists Fly India's Flag in Kashmir |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/27/world/airlifted-hindu-nationalists-fly-india-s-flag-in-kashmir.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gargan |first=Edward A. |date=1992-01-24 |title=5 Hindu Militants Slain on Kashmir Trip |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/24/world/5-hindu-militants-slain-on-kashmir-trip.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sukhi not part of 1992 shootout: SSP |url=https://m.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060226/jal.htm}}</ref>

=== Killing Mann Singh ===
On March 15, 1992, Gurdeep Singh Deepa killed SHO (Station House Officer) Mann Singh in [[Phillaur]]. Mann had been dubbed a butcher and had been a target of Sikh militants for much time.<ref name=":24"/><ref>[[Ajit (newspaper)|Ajit]] 17 March 1922</ref>

=== Killing Balwant Singh Sarhal ===
On April 26, 1992, Gurdeep Singh Deepa and other KCF members killed [[Shiromani Akali Dal|Akali Dal]] [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] Balwant Singh Sarhal. Sarhal was killed along with 3 of his bodyguards.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ufptAAAAMAAJ |title=Selections from National Press |date=April 1992 |publisher=Centre for South Asian Studies, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, University of the Punjab |pages=35 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2007-12-06 |title=Former militant acquitted in MLA murder case |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/former-militant-acquitted-in-mla-murder-case/articleshow/2602295.cms |access-date=2023-07-04 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

=== Killing Darshan Singh Kaypee ===
On October 12, 1992, Gurdeep Singh Deepa killed [[Darshan Singh Kaypee]] and his bodyguard, [[Constable]] Ashok Kumar, in [[Jalandhar]]. According to police 2 KCF members on an [[Royal Enfield|Enfield motorcycle]] rode up beside Kaypee's car. From there they opened fire with an assault rifle. He was a 5 time [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] for the [[Congress (I)|Congress Party (I)]], former Punjab state minister, and was the vice-president of the Punjab Congress Party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-20 |title=In 26 yrs, Punjab suffered most terror attacks, blasts |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/pathankot-attack-gurdaspur-in-26-yrs-punjab-suffered-most-terror-attacks-blasts/ |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-02-14 |title=Humble, but encore unlikely |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/humble-but-encore-unlikely/story-aCeJilvcQynuy2pGGJVOSK.html |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=WSN |title=Darshan Singh Kaypee, bodyguard shot dead |url=https://sikhheritageeducation.com/darshan-singh-kaypee-bodyguard-shot-dead/ |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=SIKH HERITAGE EDUCATION |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Parkash |first=Ram |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VGYeAAAAMAAJ |title=Giani Zail Singh, Life and Work |date=1984 |publisher=Panchsheel Publishers |pages=121 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-01-17 |title=Ticket denied, Punjab Congress ex-chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee ready to rebel |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/ticket-denied-punjab-congress-ex-chief-mohinder-singh-kaypee-ready-to-rebel/articleshow/88942439.cms |access-date=2023-07-04 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

=== "Punishing" abusers ===
According to Loveshinder Singh Dalewal, a former militant and aide of Deepa, in the 1980s and 1990s he and Gurdeep Singh Deepa “punished” 8 different men for beating women, or sexually assaulting them.<ref name=":24"/>

== Death ==
On December 12, 1992, Gurdeep Singh Deepa was surrounded by police when he was unarmed and staying at the home of a resident of [[Garha, Phillaur|Garha]]. The resident tipped the police off about Deepa's location. Deepa would kill himself with a [[Cyanide|Cyainde]] pill as he chose death over being arrested. Police would be accused of planting weapons on Deepa to stage a fake encounter.<ref name=":24"/><ref name=":0" />

By the time of his death, Gurdeep Singh Deepa was wanted in 217 killings and 37 robberies of vehicles.<ref name=":24"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Khalistan movement}}

[[Category:Khalistan movement people]]
[[Category:Insurgency in Punjab]]

Gurdeep Singh Deepa - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 07:08, 18 August 2023