Dashmesh Regiment Explained

Dashmesh Regiment
Leader:	Seetal Singh Matewal
Dates:	1982 – present
Area:	India
Ideology:	Sikh nationalism
Status:	Active

The Dashmesh Regiment is a militant group, and is part of the Khalistan movement to create a Sikh homeland called Khalistan via armed struggle.

History

The Dashmesh Regiment jathebandi group has claimed responsibility for two of the killings in the 2016–17 Targeted killings in Punjab, India.^[1] The origins, leadership, and existence of Dasmesh Regiment is hazy. Some believe it was created by a third-party to put blame of their activities of Jarnail Singh.^[2] The Dasmesh Regiment first leader is alleged to be Surinder Singh Gill^[3] or Harminder Singh Sandhu the general secretary of the AISSF. Sandhu had admitted to his leadership of the regiment, but also denied it.^[4] Some say that it was led by Major General Shabeg Singh.^[5] Another belief holds that Dashmesh Regiment was a borad name used by the media to pin responsibility for crimes.^[6] It is known that Seetal Singh Mattewal created a militant group in 1990 with the name of Dashmesh Regiment and was its head.^[7]

Notable Activities

• On March 28,1984, Dasmesh Regiment members killed H.S. Manchanda who was the pro government president of DSGMC.^{[8] [9]} Manchanda was killed in broad daylight in Delhi. He had become enemies with Akali Dal after holding his presidency two years after his term expired. He was also targeted for his links with Indira Gandhi's Congress. Manchanda had stopped at a red light in his car. Sodhi and another walked up to him and pumped seven bullets into Manchanda. The driver was also shot when he tried to intervene. Manchanda's bodyguard missed all the shots he fired. The driver survived. The killing was described as greatly planned and led to suspicions of an insider who helped.^[10]
• April 2, 1984, the Dasmesh Regiment killed former MLA Harbans Lal Khanna in his medical shop in Amritsar. Khanna was the BJP district president at the time. His bodyguard and one customer of his shop were also killed. Militants also burned down a police jeep by Khanna's shop.^{[11] [12]} The assassins had posed as police officers. One waited outside on a motorcycle, one entered the shop. Entering the shop the militant opened fire with a Sten gun killing Khann's bodyguard and others, all of whom were sitting. Khanna shouted frantically. The militant said, "Dhoti, topi (hat), at Yamuna. Long live Khalistan." ^{[13] [14] [15] [16] [17]} He then killed Khanna Khanna had raised slogans translating to, "We are not going to let any second or third group exist, we are not going to let a turban remain on any head; the kacchera, the kara, the kirpan, send these to Pakistan".^{[18] [19] [20]} In February 1984 he led a mob that destroyed a replica of the Golden Temple at Amritsar railway station and put feces and lit cigarettes on a painting of Guru Ram Das which had been on display for many years. All of this had made him a prime target for Sikhs.^[21] The killing of Khanna led to a 48-hour curfew in Amritsar and paramilitary and army deployment to the city. Soon rioting also broke out.^[22] The riots left at least seven dead.^[23]
• On April 3, 1984, the Dasmesh Regiment killed Rajya Sabha member of the Congress party and professor Dr. V. N. Tiwari.^{[24] [25]} Tiwari was killed in his home in Chandigarh. According to police militants knocked on Tiwari's door. When a worker opened the door they claimed to be students from Patiala wanting to see Tiwari. Tiwari came and invited them in. One stayed at the door while one came in. He fired six bullets into Tiwari at point-blank range and fled in a getaway vehicle, a grey Fiat, waiting for them. A note left by Dashmesh Regiment claimed responsibility. They said they would kill ''one senior officer every day in Punjab'' until the ban on the All India Sikh Student Federation is lifted.^{[26] [27] [28]} The killing sent shockwaves throughout India. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said, ''The killing of such a person is an index of the madness which has seized the terrorists''. The day after the killing the entire opposition in the Lok Sabha walked out and boycotted proceedings in honour of Tiwari.
• On April 14, 1984, the Dasmesh Regiment set fire to 37 railway stations in Punjab and sabotaged communication.
• On May 12, 1984,^[29] Labh Singh, Gursewak Singh Babla,^[30] Gurinder Singh and Swaranjit Singh were accused of killing Hind Samachar newspaper group editor Ramesh Chander,^[31] who was an outspoken critic of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale^[32] and had written that Punjab had "become a slaughterhouse." Chander was killed in a busy intersection in Jalandhar.^[33] In a call to an Amritsar news agency Dashmesh Regiment claimed responsibility for the killing.^[34]
• Dasmesh Regiment was blamed for the Air India 182 flight bombing. Bagri a suspect in the bombing refuted this and said, “We did this.”^[35]
• In April 1986 the regiment killed a senior leader of Rajiv Gandhi’s administration.
• On October 2, 1986, Dashmesh Regiment attempted to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi.^[36]
• Operation Vadhi Pahar was launched to capture or kill the Dashmesh Regiment, more specifically its leader Seetal Singh Mattewal. Units from the Indian Army, National Security Guard, Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, and Punjab Police would take part in the Operation. A fierce battle occurred at Bolowali. There were only five members of Dashmesh Regiment while there were 12,000 security forces. The militants had an advantage as they were on a hill. Seetal Singh used a Dragnov Rifle in the battle. The other members had AK-47s and one had a machine gun. After heavy casualties the Indian commanders authorised the use of motor shells and bombs. After this still failed to subdue the Seetal Singh and his men the Indian forces used bulletproof tractors. Seetal Singh and the other four militants repulsed the bulletproof tractors. The forces used chemical bombs, but they were also ineffective. After 48 hours of fighting the militants were eventually killed with Seetal Singh putting on a bold last stand.^{[37] [38]}
• In 2016 Dashmesh Regiment claimed responsibility for the killing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) deputy chief retired Brigadier R.S. Gagneja. They claimed responsibility over an email, but the authenticity of the claim is disputed.^{[39] [40]}
• In 2016 Dashmesh Regiment claimed responsibility for killing Shiv Sena leader Durga Prasad Gupta. Authenticity of the claim is disputed.

See also

• Kharku
• History of the Punjab
• Operation Blue Star
• Terrorism in India
• Sikh extremism
• Insurgency in Punjab

Notes and References

1. Web site: September 29, 2016 . Little-known Sikh group claims to have killed RSS leader Gagneja . hindustantimes.com/.
2. Book: Mahmood, Cynthia Keppley . Fighting for faith and nation : dialogues with Sikh militants . 1997 . Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press . Internet Archive . 978-0-8122-3361-2 . 280.
3. Book: Terrorist Group Profiles . April 1993. DIANE Publishing . 978-1-56806-864-0 . 126–127 . en.
4. Book: Singh, Harjinder . Game of Love . 2008 . Akaal Publishers . 978-0-9554587-1-2 . 145 . en.
5. Book: Vas . Lt Gen EA . Indian Defence Review July-Dec 1987 (Vol 2.2) . Kathpalia . Lt Gen PN . Bakshi . G. D. . Kanwal . Gurmeet . Rockall . George . Kaushik . Brig OP . Saksena . Col KP . Tiwathia . Maj Vijay . Joshi . Dr Manoj . 1987-07-01 . Lancer Publishers . 978-81-7062-029-7 . 124 . en.
6. Book: Jeffrey, Robin . What's Happening to India?: Punjab, Ethnic Conflict, and the Test for Federalism . 2016-07-27 . Springer . 978-1-349-23410-3 . 175 . en.
7. Book: Bakke, Kristin M. . Decentralization and Intrastate Struggles . 2015-06-04 . Cambridge University Press . 978-1-107-09438-3 . 172 . en.
8. Book: Rastogi, P. N. . Ethnic Tensions in Indian Society: Explanation, Prediction, Monitoring, and Control . 1986-01-01 . Mittal Publications . 139 . en.
9. News: Stevens . William K. . Times . Special To the New York . 1984-04-04 . SIKH TERRORISTS KILL LEGISLATOR; 10 SLAIN IN RIOT . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-05-24 . 0362-4331.
10. Web site: DSGMC president Harbans Singh Manchanda murder in Delhi sends security forces in a tizzy . 2023-06-21 . India Today . en.
11. Book: Dhillon . Gurdarshan Singh . Truth about Punjab: SGPC White Paper . 1996 . Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee . 978-0836456547 . 1st . Amritsar, Punjab . 186, 205–206 . 25 March 2020.
12. Web site: Hindu leader slain in northern India . 2023-05-31 . UPI . en.
13. ਖਾੜਕੂ ਯੋਧੇ in Punjabi by Maninder Singh Baja
14. Book: Vajpayee, Atal Bihari . State of the nation . 1996 . Shipra Publications . 978-81-85402-69-7 . en.
15. Book: Service, British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring . Summary of World Broadcasts: Far East . 1984 . Monitoring Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation . 1 . en.
16. Book: White Paper on the Punjab Agitation . 1984 . 142 . English.
17. Book: Data India . 1984 . Press Institute of India . 403 . en.
18. Book: Dhillon . Gurdarshan Singh . Truth about Punjab: SGPC White Paper . 1996 . Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee . 978-0836456547 . 1st . Amritsar, Punjab . 186, 205–206 . 25 March 2020.
19. Book: Karim . Afsir . Counter Terrorism, the Pakistan Factor . 1991 . Lancer Publishers . 978-8170621270 . 30.
20. Book: Judge . Paramjit S. . Religion, Identity, and Nationhood: The Sikh Militant Movement . 2005 . Rawat Publications . 9788170339496 . 134.
21. Web site: Hindu leader slain in northern India . 2023-05-31 . UPI . en.
22. Web site: Police fired into the air today to disperse thousands... - UPI Archives . 2023-06-22 . UPI . en.
23. Web site: Police with emergency powers to search and arrest people... - UPI Archives . 2023-06-22 . UPI . en.
24. Book: Gill, Kanwar Pal Singh . Punjab, the Knights of Falsehood . 1997 . Har-Anand Publications . 978-81-241-0569-6 . 93 . en.
25. Book: Tully . Mark . Amritsar, Mrs. Gandhi's last battle . Jacob . Satish . 1985 . Calcutta : Rupa & Co. . Internet Archive . 132.
26. News: Stevens . William K. . Times . Special To the New York . 1984-04-04 . Sikh Terrorists Kill Legislator; 10 Slain in Riot . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-21 . 0362-4331.
27. Book: White Paper on the Punjab Agitation . 1984 . 142 . English.
28. Web site: In Punjab, terrorism threaten to reverse a 600-year history of harmony . 2023-06-22 . India Today . en.
29. Book: Ahuja, B. N. . Hand Book Of General Knowledge . 2006 . Pitambar Publishing . 978-81-209-0516-0 . 89 . en.
30. News: Bharadwaj . Ajay . 27 August 2004 . Babla's escape revives fear of militant strikes . . dead . 23 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121024035311/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-08-27/chandigarh/27157628_1_punjab-militants-jagtar-singh-hawara-police-custody . 24 October 2012.
31. News: 6 April 1986 . Sikhs Kill 6 on Courthouse Steps . Associated Press (Wilmington Morning Star) . 23 January 2016.
32. News: 13 May 1984 . India editor slain as violence spreads . Chicago Tribune . dead . 23 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121021052032/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/634431362.html?FMT=ABS&dids=634431362:634431362&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=May+13,+1984&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=India+editor+slain+as+violence+spreads . 21 October 2012 . 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....
33. Web site: Extremists kill Hind Samachar editor, hopes for resumption of talks with Akali leaders die . 2023-05-31 . India Today . en.
34. News: 13 May 1984 . Murder prompts riot . Wilimington Morning Star . 23 January 2016.
35. Book: Kashmeri . Zuhair . Soft Target: The Real Story Behind the Air India Disaster - Second Edition . McAndrew . Brian . 2005-09-06 . James Lorimer & Company . 978-1-55028-904-6 . X . en.
36. Book: Sloan . Stephen . Historical Dictionary of Terrorism . Anderson . Sean K. . 2009-08-03 . Scarecrow Press . 978-0-8108-6311-8 . 631 . en.
37. Book: Haksar, Parmeshwar Narain . Haksar Memorial Volume: Challenges for nation building in a world in turmoil : papers presented at the Fourth Haksar Memorial Seminar-cum-Lecture Series on Nation Building, development Process, Communication, and Governance organized by CRRID from 9-15 November 2005 . 2004 . Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development . 978-81-85835-51-8 . 99 . en.
38. Book: Judge, Paramjit S. . Religion, Identity, and Nationhood: The Sikh Militant Movement . 2005 . Rawat Publications . 978-81-7033-949-6 . 210 . en.
39. Web site: 2016-09-30 . Gagneja killing: Mystery over email from 'Dashmesh Regiment' deepens . 2023-05-10 . Hindustan Times . en.
40. Web site: 2016-10-11 . Sikh Radicals suspected to have killed Punjab RSS leader Gagneja . 2023-05-10 . Hindustan Times . en.