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{{short description|Jailed Jathedar of Akal Takht}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Jagtar Singh Hawara
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = pa
| image =
| image_upright =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Jagtar Singh
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1970|05|17}}
| birth_place = Hawara, [[Fatehgarh Sahib]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| spouse = {{marriage|Balwinder Kaur|2005|2006|reason=ann.}}
| relations =
| alma_mater =
| other_names =
| citizenship = Indian
| education =
| years_active =
| employer =
| organization = [[Babbar Khalsa]]
| agent =
| known_for = Assassination of [[Beant Singh (chief minister)|Beant Singh]], [[List of Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|12th Chief Minister of Punjab]]<br>2004 Burail jailbreak<ref>{{cite news|title=Court convicts Hawara, Bheora in Burail jail-break case|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/court-convicts-hawara-bheora-in-burail-jailbreak-case/article7527903.ece|accessdate=17 October 2016|newspaper=The Hindu|date=12 August 2015}}</ref><br>
Being declared [[Jathedar of the Akal Takht]] by a [[Sarbat Khalsa#Sarbat Khalsa 2015|Sarbat Khalsa]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gopal|first1=Navjeevan|last2=Brar|first2=Kamaldeep Singh|title=Radicals 'appoint' Beant killer Jagtar Singh Hawara as Akal Takht chief|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/radicals-appoint-beant-killer-jagtar-singh-hawara-as-akal-takht-chief/|accessdate=21 October 2016|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=11 November 2015}}</ref>
| notable_works =
| style =
| home_town =
| height = 5ft 11in
| party =
| movement = [[Khalistan movement]] <br> [[Dharam Yudh Morcha]]
| criminal_charge = Assassination (murder)
| conviction_penalty = Life imprisonment
| conviction_status = Imprisoned
| relatives =
| callsign =
| awards =
| website =
| allegiance =
| motive =
| conviction = Assassination (2007)
| capture_status = Arrested
| partners = [[Balwant Singh Rajoana]] <br> [[Dilawar Singh Babbar]]
| wanted_since =
| time_at_large =
| escaped = 2004
| escape_end = 2005
| comments = Recaptured in Delhi
| victims = [[Beant Singh (chief minister)|Beant Singh]] and 16 others<ref name="Ropar court" />
| date =
| time =
| beginyear =
| endyear =
| country =
| states =
| locations =
| targets =
| fatalities =
| injuries =
| weapons =
| apprehended =
| imprisoned = [[Tihar Jail]], [[New Delhi]], [[India]]<ref name="Hindustan 2019" />
| title = [[Jathedar]]
}}

'''Jagtar Singh Hawara''' is a high level member of [[Babbar Khalsa]] who is currently serving life imprisonment at [[Tihar Jail]]. He was convicted as a conspirator in the assassination of [[List of Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|12th Chief Minister of Punjab]], [[Beant Singh (chief minister)|Beant Singh]].

Hawara was declared as the [[Jathedar of the Akal Takht]] by a [[Sarbat Khalsa#Sarbat Khalsa 2015|Sarbat Khalsa]] organised at village of Chabba on the outskirts of [[Amritsar]], however this declaration is disputed and unrecognised by the [[Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee]] (SGPC).

==Early life==
Jagtar Singh Hawara was born in Hawara, a small village in [[Fatehgarh Sahib]], [[Punjab (region)|Punjab]]. His mother's name is Narinder Kaur.{{cn|date=August 2024}} He is believed to have become an active militant sometime during 1990-1991 and operated primarily in the [[Rupnagar district|Ropar]] area.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

==Criminal record==
===Murder accusations===
In 1988 Hawara was accused murdering the [[granthi]] of a [[Gurdwara]] in [[Chamkaur|Chamkaur Sahib]]. He would be acquitted on the charge.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-18 |title=Jagtar Hawara acquitted in 1991 attempt-to-murder case |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/babbar-khalsa-militant-jagtar-hawara-acquitted-in-1991-attempt-to-murder-case/story-GuHkaBlCRaABTMaw76pfPK.html |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

He also was accused of killing special police officer Sunil Kumar at [[Shaheedi Jor Mela]] at [[Chamkaur Sahib]] on 21 December 1992. However he was acquitted of the charge in February 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/hawara-acquitted-in-1992-murder-case/articleshow/57154720.cms|title=Jagtar Singh Hawara acquitted in 1992 murder case|newspaper=Times of India|date=15 February 2017 |accessdate=6 March 2017}}</ref><ref>[http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/5104/38/ Punjab News Line] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807163523/http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/5104/38/ |date=7 August 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/001893.html|title=Babbar Khalsa International "Roundup"|date=26 July 2005 |publisher=|accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref>

===Assassination of 12th Chief Minister of Punjab===
Hawara was charged in the assassination of [[List of Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|12th Chief Minister of Punjab]], [[Beant Singh (chief minister)|Beant Singh]].<ref name=ti>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040123/main2.htm|title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News|publisher=|accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref> On 31 August 1995, [[Dilawar Singh Babbar]], a human bomb assassinated [[Beant Singh (chief minister)|Beant Singh]] by blowing up his bullet-proof car at the Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/punjab/terrorist_outfits/BKI.htm|title=Babbar Khalsa International|publisher=|accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref> Seventeen people were killed and fifteen others injured.<ref name="Ropar court" />

In 2007, he was convicted was given death penalty after a trial in Chandigarh court.<ref name="Hindustan 2019">{{cite news |title=Hawara acquitted in 95' RDX recovery case |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/hawara-acquitted-in-95-rdx-recovery-case/story-btoxhTjaqpn0w4ceTYYPLL.html |accessdate=2 May 2020 |work=Hindustan Times |date=23 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Hawara appealed to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which in October 2010 converted his death penalty to life imprisonment. Hawara further appealed the case in the Supreme Court of India, where it is currently pending.<ref name="The Week">{{cite news |title=How Beant Singh's assassin got 'life' on Guru Nanak's birth anniversary |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/11/12/how-beant-singhs-assassin-got-life-on-guru-nanaks-birth-anniversary.html |accessdate=2 May 2020 |work=The Week |date=12 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

===2004 Burail jailbreak===
In 2004, Hawara came back into the limelight when he escaped from maximum security jail at Burail, along with two other Sikh prisoners by digging a 90 feet tunnel with his bare hands.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/5102/38/ |title=Jagtar Singh Hawara masterminded Beant Singh's killing |website=www.punjabnewsline.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513071931/http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/5102/38/ |archive-date=13 May 2008}}</ref><ref name=ti2004>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040222/cth1.htm|title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories|publisher=|accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref> He was recaptured in 2005 from Delhi.<ref name="Ropar court">{{cite news |title=Babbar Khalsa militant Jagtar Singh Hawara produced in Ropar court |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/babbar-khalsa-militant-jagtar-singh-hawara-produced-in-ropar-court/articleshow/48332985.cms |accessdate=2 May 2020 |work=The Economic Times |date=3 August 2015}}</ref> He is imprisoned at [[Tihar Jail]], [[New Delhi]].<ref name="Hindustan 2019" />

==Declared Jathedar by 2015 Sarbat Khalsa==
On 10 November 2015, Jagtar Singh Hawara was declared to be replacing [[Giani Gurbachan Singh|Gurbachan Singh]] as the interim [[Jathedar of Akal Takht]] by a [[Sarbat Khalsa#Sarbat Khalsa 2015|Sarbat Khalsa]] organised at Chabba village on the outskirts of [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] by Sikh organisations.<ref name="hindustantimes.com">{{cite news|title=Sarbat Khalsa appoints Jagtar Singh Hawara as Akal Takht jathedar|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/sarbat-khalsa-bhog-ceremony-of-akhand-path-performed-people-start-reaching-the-venue/story-4a7kGuwRRCaP8pPa6zugSL.html|accessdate=10 November 2015|agency=Hindustan Times|issue=10 November 2015|quote="A congregation organised by Sikh organisations at Amritsar on Tuesday ‘removed’ five Sikh head priests and appointed Jagtar Singh Hawara, a convict in the Beant Singh assassination case, as jathedar"}}</ref> It also declared Dhian Singh Mand as an interim Jathedar of Akal Takht. It demanded all the current Jathedars including Gurbachan Singh be removed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/tension-at-golden-temple-jathedar-shown-black-flags/story-a54lfTJCX3iiEZSnZjZjAO.html|title=Interim Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Dhian Singh Mand detained|newspaper=Hindustan Times|author1=Harkirat Singh|author2= Aseem Bassi|date=12 November 2015|accessdate=6 March 2017}}</ref> The [[SGPC]] president at that time, Avtar Singh Makkar, however condemned the convening as against the principles of Sikhism and its decisions were null and void. He added that the removal of Jathedar came under [[Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925]] and no one could challenge the SGPC's authority.<ref name="tribuneindia">{{Cite web |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/community/at-sarbat-khalsa-hardliners-appoint-hawara-akal-takht-jathedar/156857.html |title=At Sarbat Khalsa, hardliners appoint Hawara Akal Takht Jathedar |access-date=7 August 2018 |archive-date=7 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807095825/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/community/at-sarbat-khalsa-hardliners-appoint-hawara-akal-takht-jathedar/156857.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 2005, Hawara married Balwinder Kaur, daughter of Dara Singh at a Gurdwara in village Dohla. On 3 March 2006, Balwinder Kaur's petition for annulment of marriage was an adjourned. Kaur claimed to had stayed with Sahib Singh (alias of Hawara) for just 11 days, after which she was dropped off at her parents’ house where Hawara stayed for a day.<ref name="SCAMJSH">{{cite web|title=Sangrur court annuls marriage Jagtar Singh Hawara|url=http://zeenews.india.com/home/sangrur-court-annuls-marriage-jagtar-singh-hawara_281200.html|website=Zee News|date=11 March 2006 |accessdate=22 October 2016}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawara, Jagtar Singh}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Khalistan movement people]]
[[Category:People acquitted of murder]]
[[Category:Escapees from Indian detention]]
[[Category:People from Fatehgarh Sahib]]
[[Category:Indian escapees]]
[[Category:Jathedars of Akal Takht]]
[[Category:Inmates of Tihar Jail]]

Jagtar Singh Hawara - Revision history

BrittScotto5 at 00:44, 22 June 2025