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{{for|the athlete|Labh Singh (athlete)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Labh Singh
| birth_date = 1952
| death_date = 12 July 1988
| birth_place = Village Panjwar, [[Amritsar]], [[India]]
| death_place = [[Urmar Tanda|Tanda]], [[Hoshiarpur]], [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]], India
| image =
| caption =
| nickname = Sukha Sipahi
| organization = [[Khalistan Commando Force]]
| years_active = 1984–1988
| known for = [[Operation Blue Star]], [[Khalistan movement]]
* Attack on Director-General of the Punjab Police J.F. Ribeiro inside his headquarters.
}}
'''Sukhdev Singh Dhillon''' (1952 – 12 July 1988), best known as '''Labh Singh''' and also known as Sukha Sipahi and General Labh Singh, was a former [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] [[police]] officer turned militant<ref name="lal155">{{harvnb|Mahmood|1997|p=[https://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=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PbMTAAAAIBAJ&pg=6842,2750498|title=India's most-wanted terrorist captured|date=11 August 1986|publisher=New Straits Times Foreign News Service |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref>
<ref name="encycloextreme">{{cite book|last=Atkins|first=Stephen E.|title=Encyclopedia of modern worldwide extremists and extremist groups|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|page= 242|year=2004|edition=illustrated|isbn= 9780313324857|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b8k4rEPvq_8C|access-date=26 June 2009}}</ref>

He was an associate of [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] and fought against the [[Indian Army]] during [[Operation Blue Star]].<ref name="lal79">{{harvnb|Mahmood|1997|p=[https://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 (India)|Punjab Police]], [[Julio Francis Ribeiro]].
He allegedly masterminded<ref name=masterbank/> what was then India's largest bank robbery,<ref name=LATimesMasq/> taking almost Rs. 60 million ($4.5 million) from the [[Punjab National Bank]], Miller Gunj branch, [[Ludhiana]].<ref name=LATimesMasq>{{cite news|quote=Sikh(bracketed) separatists dressed as police officers looted a bank Thursday and escaped with $4.5 million, the biggest bank heist in Indian history, officials said. Bank robberies have been a major means of financing the Sikh militants' violent campaign for a separate state they call Khalistan. Bank robberies occur almost every week in Punjab.|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58240583.html?dids=58240583:58240583&FMT=ABS |title=Sikh Separatists Masquerade as Police to Stage India's Biggest Bank Robbery |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=13 February 1987 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref><ref name=CSTbankrob/><ref name="tribuneindia.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081010/punjab1.htm#11 |title=SGPC honours kin of Vaidya's assassins |publisher=Tribuneindia.com |date=9 October 2008 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> which enabled the [[Khalistan Commando Force]] to buy weapons.<ref name="IandS">{{Cite book | last1 = Dhillon | first1 = Kirpal | title = Identity and Survival: Sikh Militancy in India 1978–1993. Pa | year = 2006 | publisher = Penguin India | isbn = 978-0-14-310036-2 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3eBuAAAAMAAJ |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref>

==Early life==

Labh Singh's original name was Sukhdev Singh Dhillon
He was also known as Sukha Sipahi.<ref name="genterror"/>
He lived in the village of Panjwar, in [[Administrative divisions of India#Tehsils (Sub-Districts)|''Tehsil'']] (sub-district) [[Patti, Punjab|Patti]] in district [[Amritsar]]<ref name="JournalCCP">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiZnAAAAMAAJ&q=labh |title=The Journal of Commonwealth & comparative politics, Volume 29 |publisher=Frank Cass|author=Taylor & Francis |year=1991 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nDZuAAAAMAAJ&q=Labh+Singh |title=Social and political movements by Harish K. Puri, Paramjit S. Judge, Page 391 |date=3 September 2008 |isbn=978-81-7033-633-4 |access-date=23 January 2016|last1=Puri |first1=Harish K. |last2=Judge |first2=Paramjit S. }}</ref><ref name="tribuneindia2001">{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010310/punjab1.htm |title=Normalcy a bliss for Panjwar family |last1=Walia|first1=Varinder|last2=Puri|first2=Gurbax |publisher=Tribuneindia.com |date=9 March 2001 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> and owned {{convert|9|acre|m2}} of land.<ref name="JournalCCP"/><ref name="terrorname9">{{Harvnb|Singh, Gurpreet|1996|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=5ppuAAAAMAAJ&q=sukha+sipahi+children&dq=sukha+sipahi+children&lr=&ei=BbpXSvXROYvUNMOzwZoH 97 – A founder of the KCF, his real name was Sukhdev Singh alias Sukha 'Sipahi'(soldier). A self-styled 'General' of the KCF, thirty-five-year-old Sukhdev Singh belonged to Panjwar village in Amritsar and owned nine acres of land.]}}</ref>
He married Davinder Kaur.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldsikhnews.com/8%20July%202009/Ajmer%20Singh%20s%20new%20work%20engages%20with%201984%20Catastrophe.htm |title=Ajmer Singh's new work engages with 1984 Catastrophe |publisher=World Sikh News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104070402/http://worldsikhnews.com/8%20July%202009/Ajmer%20Singh%20s%20new%20work%20engages%20with%201984%20Catastrophe.htm |archive-date=4 January 2010 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref>

==Punjab Police service==

After finishing his education at Baba Buddha Sahib College,<ref name="ektaone1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ektaone.com/literature-mainmenu-27/gursikhs-mainmenu-101?start=25 |title=Gursikhs and Inspirational Living |publisher=Ektaone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090625153959/http://www.ektaone.com/literature-mainmenu-27/gursikhs-mainmenu-101?start=25 |archive-date=25 June 2009 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> Labh Singh joined the Punjab Police force<ref name="Kin of slain"/> in 1971<ref name=7180s>{{Harvnb|Singh, Gurpreet|1996|p=[https://books.google.com/books?lr=&ei=e9FaSoWLHIrelATIw6yaBw&id=5ppuAAAAMAAJ&dq=sukha+sipahi+police&q=80s 97 – "He joined the Punjab Police as a constable in 1971. In the early 1980s he came under the influence of Bhindranwale and resigned from the police force."]}}</ref> and served the force until he left his job<ref name=7180s/> in 1983.<ref name="lal155"/>

==Association with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale==

Influenced by [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]], Labh Singh left the Punjab police in 1983,<ref name=7180s/> and joined the Sikh freedom movement.<ref name="Kin of slain">{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010309/main7.htm|title=Kin of slain Babbar Khalsa chief shift abroad|last=Walia|first=Varinder|author2=Gurbaxpuri |date=8 March 2001|publisher=The Tribune (Tribune News Service) |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref>

In May 1984, Labh Singh, Gursewak Singh Babla,<ref>{{cite news|first=Ajay|last= Bharadwaj|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-08-27/chandigarh/27157628_1_punjab-militants-jagtar-singh-hawara-police-custody |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024035311/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-08-27/chandigarh/27157628_1_punjab-militants-jagtar-singh-hawara-police-custody |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 October 2012 |title=Babla's escape revives fear of militant strikes |date=27 August 2004 |work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> Gurinder Singh and Swaranjit Singh were accused of killing [[Hind Samachar]] newspaper group editor Ramesh Chander,<ref name="LSescape">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=N-UVAAAAIBAJ&pg=7064,1405115&dq=sukhdev-singh|title=Sikhs Kill 6 on Courthouse Steps|date=6 April 1986|publisher=Associated Press (Wilmington Morning Star) |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref>
who was an outspoken critic of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale<ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/634431362.html?FMT=ABS&dids=634431362:634431362&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=May+13%2C+1984&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=India+editor+slain+as+violence+spreads |publisher=Chicago Tribune|date= 13 May 1984 |title=India editor slain as violence spreads |access-date=23 January 2016 |quote=Rioting Hindus set fire to 15 Sikh shops, a bank a library and 15 buses in the city of Jullundur Saturday after terrorists killed a newspaper editor who wrote that Punjab state has become a slaughterhouse. The editor, Ramesh Chander, was shot by four men with...}}</ref>
and had written that Punjab had "become a slaughterhouse."
In a call to an Amritsar news agency, responsibility for the attack in Jullundur by four armed men was claimed by Sikh militant group [[Dashmesh Regiment|Deshmesh Regiment]].<ref name="RameshChanderWilm">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y-8VAAAAIBAJ&pg=4690,3148242&dq=ramesh+chander+1984|title=Murder prompts riot|date=13 May 1984|work=Wilimington Morning Star|access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref>

During [[Operation Blue Star]], he fought against the Indian Army with other Sikh militants.<ref name="lal79"/>
He was arrested by the army after the operation.<ref name="NSTdeath"/>

==Association with Khalistan Commando Force==

===Jailbreak===
6 people were killed, and more injured, in a violent attack on the District court in [[Jalandhar]], Punjab, India.<ref>{{cite news|quote=Sikh extremists shot their way into a courthouse in the Punjab city of Jullundur, killed six policemen and freed three prisoners accused of killing a Hindu editor, authorities said.|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58572255.html?dids=58572255:58572255&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+06%2C+1986&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=The+World+Sikhs+Kill+Six+Policemen&pqatl=google|title=The World, section 1 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=6 April 1986 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/25001922.html?dids=25001922:25001922&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:FT&date=Apr+06%2C+1986&author=Chicago+Tribune+wires&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=SIKH+GUNMEN+SLAY+6+COPS+IN+PUNJAB&pqatl=google |publisher=Chicago Tribune|date= 5 April 1986 |title=SIKH GUNMEN SLAY 6 COPS IN PUNJAB|page=14|author=Chicago Tribune Wires; NEWS |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ag0QAAAAIBAJ&pg=2974,4819350&dq=sukhdev+singh+court|title=Sikh terrorist kill policemen in Punjab |publisher=[[The Free-Lance Star]]|date= 5 April 1986 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Terrorists kill 6 policemen, free prisoners|page=8|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Vc0LAAAAIBAJ&pg=2390,6468990&dq=sukhdev+singh+court |publisher=Ludington Daily News|date=4 April 1986 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TRoSAAAAIBAJ&pg=3324,3332405&dq=court+jullundur+police|title=Sikhs kill 6, free 3 prisoners|page=A6 |publisher=[[The Spokesman-Review]] and [[Spokane Chronicle]]|date=6 April 1986}}</ref><ref name="EugeneRG"/> Accounts of the attack, reported on 6 April 1986 in the US, differed.<ref name="LSescape"/> According to an unidentified source in Mahmood's "Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants", the attack was made by Sikh militant leader [[Manbir Singh Chaheru]] and his associates.<ref name="lal168">{{Harvnb|Mahmood|1997|p=[https://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 168?]}}</ref>

"The Courier" of [[Arizona]], US, carried a story attributed to [[United Press International|UPI]] stating that 3 "Sikh terrorists" killed 3 police officers who were taking 3 prisoners to a bathroom, while "16 armed court guards cowered in fear". The report stated that 2 police holding a 4th prisoner were also gunned down, and that "Three other officers, a lawyer, and a bystander were wounded as the Sikhs sprayed the area for 15 minutes." Police said that the guards were too frightened to return fire. This fourth suspect remained in custody. Finally, the Courier article reported that the Sikhs looted "three rifles and a submachine gun" from the dead bodies, and that a 6th officer later succumbed to wounds from the attack.<ref name="courierAZ">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Yp4OAAAAIBAJ&pg=6832,936053 |title=Bloody jailbreak in Punjab leaves three officers dead |publisher=The Courier |date=5 April 1986 |access-date=30 September 2009}} {{dead link|date=January 2016}}</ref>

The "[[The Star News|Wilmington Morning Star]]" carried an [[Associated Press|AP]] story, and related that 3 "Sikh extremists" killed 4 police officers inside the District Court complex, killed two officers who "were shot at the courtyard gate as the attackers fled", and wounded 4 other individuals, including a lawyer. The Star identified the freed suspects as Labh Singh, Gurinder Singh, and Swaranjit Singh, who were to appear in court on charges of slaying Ramesh Chander, a [[Hindu]] newspaper editor. The Star reported that District Magistrate S.C. Aggarwal said 4 attackers fired over a compound wall from a lane. It further reported that others witnessed the attackers open fire from close range as police led the prisoners to the toilet. The report concluded with District Police Chief Baljit Singh Sandhu's statement that the attackers hard "fired at least 50 rounds" in the attack.<ref name="LSescape"/>

The "Eugene Register-Guardian" reported that District Magistrate S.C. Aggarwal said in a telephone interview that 3 or more attackers opened fire as 4 defendants accused of the May 1984 slaying of Ramesh Chander, were being led into the compound, and that the attackers took 3 rifles from the slain police.
<ref name="EugeneRG">{{cite news|title=Sikh extremists kill 6 policemen, free 3 prisoners| url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QGgVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5549,1304617&dq=court+jullundur+police|publisher=Eugene Register-Guard|date=6 April 1986}}</ref>

This single incident became a basis of Roberio's "Bullet for bullet" policy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99mar07/book.htm#1 |title=Book Review:Bullet for Bullet: My Life as a Police Officer:'Bullet-for-bullet is not my baby' |last=Gupta|first=G. V.|publisher=Tribuneindia.com |date=7 March 1999 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref>

===KCF leadership===
After [[Khalistan Commando Force|KCF]]'s first leader, [[Manbir Singh Chaheru]] was arrested and disappeared or died, Labh Singh took over the leadership of [[Khalistan Commando Force]].<ref name="lal155"/><ref name="encycloextreme"/>

One unnamed author speculated in "Genesis of terrorism: an analytical study of Punjab terrorists" that Labh Singh "perhaps" maintained his links with [[Babbar Khalsa International]].<ref name="genterror">{{cite book|title=Genesis of terrorism: an analytical study of Punjab terrorists|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0nhuAAAAMAAJ&q=general+labh+singh+jarnail+singh |publisher=Patriot|year= 1988 |isbn = 9788170500674|access-date=23 January 2016|quote=...(KCF) which is headed by General Labh Singh alias Sukhdev Singh alias Sukha Sipahi. Perhaps he continued to maintain his links with the Babbar Khalsa also.}}</ref>

===Attack on Director General of Punjab Police===
Although account details differ, on 3 October 1986, men identified in the press as Sikh militants in police uniforms attacked Director-General [[Punjab Police (India)|Punjab Police]] [[Julio Francis Ribeiro]] inside his headquarters in the city of Jalandhar, Punjab, India, with automatic weapons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pNAVAAAAIBAJ&pg=6467,1005649&dq=ribeiro+attack+headquarters|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713072745/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pNAVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2BMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6467,1005649&dq=ribeiro+attack+headquarters|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 July 2012|title=Disguised Sikhs attack compound of police chief|last=Belle|first=G.G.|date=3 October 1986|publisher=[[The Free-Lance Star]]|page=3|access-date=1 October 2009}}</ref> One guard was killed, and Ribeiro, his wife, and four other officers were injured. Ribeiro's wound was minor, but his wife was hospitalized.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9PEPAAAAIBAJ&pg=4966,638725&dq=ribeiro+sikh|title=Boca Raton News - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a7ISAAAAIBAJ&pg=2548,967763&dq=ribeiro+sikh|title=Spokane Chronicle - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=43EQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6635,476265&dq=ribeiro+sikh|title=The Free Lance-Star - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.latimes.com/1986-10-04/news/mn-4029_1_sikh-terrorism | work=Los Angeles Times | title=Aide Battling Sikh Terrorism Survives Attack | first=Rone | last=Tempest | date=4 October 1986}}</ref> [[Khalistan Commando Force]] later claimed responsibility for this attack.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MOIRAAAAIBAJ&pg=5113,1949144&dq=ribeiro+sikh|title=The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref> KCF leader Labh Singh allegedly led the attack.<ref>{{cite news|quote=...who was responsible for the attack on Mr J.F. Rebeiro, the then DGP...|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020125/punjab1.htm |title=Panjwar village hums with poll activity |publisher=Tribuneindia.com|last=Walia|first=Varinder |date=25 January 2002 |access-date=30 September 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=The Windsor Star |url=http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=4e9019ee-c9cd-4459-8a1f-e4f08238125e |quote=One of those featured – Gen. Labh Singh – led the assassination attempt on the director-general of Punjab police, Julio Ribeiro, in 1986. |title=India files complaint over 'martyrs' parade |publisher=Canada.com |date=24 April 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=23 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123142933/http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=4e9019ee-c9cd-4459-8a1f-e4f08238125e |archive-date=23 January 2016 }}</ref>

===Bank robbery===
Labh Singh allegedly masterminded<ref name=masterbank>{{Harvnb|Singh, Gurpreet|1996|p=[https://books.google.com/books?ei=GTtcSpnDHYrklATB-NCpBw&id=5ppuAAAAMAAJ&dq=labh+singh+largest+terrorism&q=labh+singh+largest+bank+robbery+Punjab+National+Bank 98 – "Labh Singh masterminded a bank robbery of R. 6 crore from a branch..."]}}</ref> what was at that time the largest bank robbery in Indian history, netting almost 60 million (58 million rupees-US$4.5 million) from the Millar Ganj branch of the [[Punjab National Bank]], [[Ludhiana]];<ref name=masterbank/> a part of this stolen money belonged to the [[Reserve Bank of India]], India's central bank.<ref name=LATimesMasq/><ref name=CSTbankrob/> It was documented as the "Biggest Bank Robbery" under "Curiosities and wonders" in the [[Limca Book of Records]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IP1tAAAAMAAJ&q=Biggest+bank |year=1999|publisher=Bisleri Beverages Ltd. |title=Limca Book of Records |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> The loot enabled the [[Khalistan Commando Force]] to buy sophisticated weapons<ref name="RamKumar">{{Cite book
| last=Kumar
| first=Ram Narayan
| title=The Sikh unrest and the Indian state: politics, personalities, and historical retrospective
| year=1997
| publisher=Ajanta Publications,India
| page=445
| isbn= 9788120204539
| quote=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.
| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WD9uAAAAMAAJ
}}</ref> and AK-47 rifles.<ref name="IandS"/> Sikh militants often used bank robberies to finance their campaign against the [[Government of India|Indian government]].<ref name=LATimesMasq/>

The [[Chicago Sun-Times]] reported that "12 to 15 Sikhs dressed as policemen and armed with submachine guns and rifles escaped with nearly $4.5 million in the biggest bank robbery in Indian history." "No one was injured." A Police spokesman described it as "a neat and clean operation".<ref name=CSTbankrob>{{cite news|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3810376.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021140733/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3810376.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 October 2012 | title = Sikhs rob India bank of $4.5 million |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=13 February 1987 |access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref>

[[Khalistan Commando Force]] members who allegedly participated in the robbery included [[Harjinder Singh Jinda]], Mathra Singh,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YqBtAAAAMAAJ&q=biggest+bank+robbery+ |title=Asian Recorder, Issue 28 |publisher=K. K. Thomas at Recorder Press |year=1987 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> Paramjit Singh Panjwar,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Paramjit-Singh-Panjwar--Khalistan-Commando-Force-/394235 |title=Paramjit Singh Panjwar (Khalistan Commando Force) |work=The Indian Express|date=4 December 2008 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> Satnam Singh Bawa,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YqBtAAAAMAAJ&q=robbery |title=Asian recorder – Google Books |date=26 August 2008 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> Gurnam Singh Bundala,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19981012/28551244.html |title=Police arrest 'dead' terrorist |work=The Indian Express|date=12 October 1998 |access-date=9 August 2009}} {{dead link|date=January 2016}}</ref> [[Sukhdev Singh Sukha]], Daljit Singh Bittu,<ref name="expressindia1">{{cite news|url=http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=203376|last=Chaudhry|first=Amrita|title=Gursharan Singh Gama arrested|date=1 October 2006|publisher=cities.expressindia.com}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="indiarightsonline1"/><ref>{{cite news|publisher=cities.expressindia.com|title=Dreaded militant Daljit Singh alias Bittu gets parole for marriage|first=Amrita|last=Chaudhry|date=14 September 2005|url=http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=148524|access-date=30 August 2009}} {{dead link|date=January 2016}}</ref> Gursharan Singh Gamma<ref name="expressindia1"/><ref name="indiarightsonline1">{{cite web|url=http://www.indiarightsonline.com/Sabrang/armed1.nsf/38b852a8345861dd65256a980059289d/308bbafc7afcad6fe5256be600458270/$FILE/bac37002.pdf |title=Killers of Lalit Maken held |access-date=20 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713025322/http://www.indiarightsonline.com/Sabrang/armed1.nsf/38b852a8345861dd65256a980059289d/308bbafc7afcad6fe5256be600458270/%24FILE/bac37002.pdf |archive-date=13 July 2011 }}</ref> and Pritpal Singh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ministryoftruth.org.uk/category/news-current-events/ |title=News & Current Events |publisher=Ministry of Truth |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100506013039/http://www.ministryoftruth.org.uk/category/news-current-events/ |archive-date=6 May 2010 |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref>

==Death==
In June 1988, the Panthic committee appointed Labh Singh a high priest,<ref name="NSTdeath"/> but on 12 July 1988 he was killed<ref name="TerrorismInContext">{{cite book|title=Terrorism in Context|editor=Martha Crenshaw |publisher=Pennsylvania State University Press|page= 399|date=1 January 1995|isbn=978-0-271-01015-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9nFyZaZGthgC|access-date=30 May 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Puneet Singh Lamba |url=http://www.sikhtimes.com/sikhism_timeline.html |title=A Timeline of Sikh Religious and Political History |work=The Sikh Times|access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> in an encounter with police near [[Urmar Tanda|Tanda]], [[Hoshiarpur]], Punjab, India.<ref name="NSTdeath"/><ref name="PunjabEndgame">{{cite journal|last=Gill|first=K.P.S.|date=May 1999|title=Endgame In Punjab: 1988–1993|journal=Faultlines|publisher=Institute for Conflict Management|page= 29|volume=1|issue=1|url=http://satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume1/fault1-kpstext.htm|access-date=25 June 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/punjab/backgrounder/index.html |title=Punjab Backgrounder |publisher=Satp.org |access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="MHdeath">{{cite news|quote=Security forces killed one of India's most wanted Sikh militants Tuesday and said his death was a major blow to the biggest group fighting for an independent Sikh homeland in Punjab state. They said Sukhdev Singh, a self-styled "lieutenant general" of the Khalistan Commando Force, was shot dead when he tried to evade a police patrol in the state's Hoshiarpur district.|author=Herald Wire Services|date=13 July 1988|work=[[The Miami Herald]]|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB3389227357B84&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=IN THE WORLD, front section |page=2A|edition=FINAL}}</ref>

At that time, he was wanted in relation to the murder of a dozen policemen, newspaper editor Ramesh Chander, and an attempt on the former [[Punjab Police (India)|Punjab Police]] Chief [[Julio Francis Ribeiro]].<ref name="NSTdeath"/>
[[Amritsar]] Police Superintendent Suresh Arora said "We have broken the back of the [[Khalistan Commando Force|KCF]]. Sukhdev Singh was the most dreaded of the terrorists."<ref name="NSTdeath">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ULkTAAAAIBAJ&pg=6723,2918806&dq=1988+sikh|title=Top Sikh extremist shot dead by Indian police|date=13 July 1988|work=New Straits Times|access-date=23 January 2016}}</ref>

The Tribune of India carried a report of a neighbor's statement that, after his death, many of his family emigrated to [[Canada]], though his father-in-law stayed on in Labh Singh's house. The neighbor further stated that the father-in-law committed suicide after police beat him "mercilessly", and that the house then remained deserted for several years, but that finally it has been taken over by his relatives.<ref name="Kin of slain"/>

Kanwaljit Singh Sultanwind succeeded Labh Singh as leader of the KCF.<ref name="tribuneindia2001"/>

The Tribune India reported in July 2006 that a ''[[Bhog]]'' (Sikh religious ceremony) for Labh Singh was held "in the past few months".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060729/punjab1.htm|first=Ajay|last= Banerjee|publisher=tribuneindia.com |title=MSP hike rejected as too meagre |access-date=23 January 2016|quote=Sources in the Punjab Police said at least six bhog ceremonies had been conducted in the past few months and their growing number had caused worry. These include the bhog to remember "general" Labh Singh of the Khalistan Commando Force}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Khalistan Movement]]

== Footnotes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
*{{cite book|last=Mahmood|first=Cynthia Keppley |title=Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|year=1997|edition=illustrated|page=314|isbn=978-0-8122-1592-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8QufTc6fAocC}}
*{{cite book|first1=Gurpreet |last1=Singh|first2= Gourav |last2=Jaswal | title = Terrorism: Punjab's recurring nightmare|publisher=Sehgal Book Distributors|year= 1996|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5ppuAAAAMAAJ}}

== External links ==
*{{cite web|url=http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/retrieve/726/etd1604.pdf|title=Counterterrorism: Punjab: A Case Study|last=Kang|first=Charanjit Singh|date=Spring 2005|work=Master's Thesis – MA in Criminology|publisher=Simon Fraser University|page=234 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706203926/http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/retrieve/726/etd1604.pdf |archive-date=6 July 2011 |access-date=23 January 2016}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = [[Manbir Singh Chaheru]]|title = Leader [[Khalistan Commando Force]]| years = 1986–1988 | after = Kanwarjit Singh Sultanwind}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Labh}}
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:Sikh martyrs]]
[[Category:Khalistan movement people]]
[[Category:Indian police officers]]
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Sikh terrorism]]
[[Category:People shot dead by law enforcement officers in India]]
[[Category:Bank robbers]]
[[Category:Sikh warriors]]

Labh Singh - Revision history

Bot at 19:53, 26 September 2022