The Disappearance that Refuses to be Forgotten

Thirty years have passed since Jaswant Singh Khalra’s disappearance and presumed murder, yet the wounds remain raw, and the questions unanswered. In India’s human rights abuses, few stories are as haunting as his.

Navkiran Kaur Khalra recounts her father’s abduction on September 6, 1995: “The morning began like any other in Amritsar, with my mother getting ready for work and us preparing for school.” Within hours, their lives were forever changed when Jaswant Singh Khalra was taken away by the police. He was a human rights activist investigating thousands of extrajudicial killings during the Punjab separatist movement.

The circumstances of his disappearance are all too familiar: A critic of those in power is silenced by force. Khalra’s claim that 25,000 bodies had been cremated as “unidentified” and “unclaimed” was dismissed by the police as an exaggeration. However, his persistence in seeking answers from the authorities earned him a visit from the then-deputy inspector general of police, who offered a twisted olive branch: withdraw the case against them, and they would return Khalra alive.

The aftermath of Khalra’s disappearance is marked by horror and injustice. His wife, Paramjit Kaur, became a thorn in the side of the authorities as she campaigned for justice. Her efforts ultimately led to five police officials serving life sentences for his killing. Yet thousands of others across Punjab and beyond remain trapped in a cycle of grief and uncertainty, seeking closure over the disappearance and presumed killing of their loved ones.

The recent film, Satluj, attempts to shed light on this dark chapter by revisiting Khalra’s life and work. However, the government’s decision to block the film within 48 hours of its release raises more questions than it answers: Is it a case of security concerns or an attempt to silence the past? The legacy of Jaswant Singh Khalra serves as a powerful reminder of the long fight for justice in India.

His daughter, Navkiran Kaur, reflects on her father’s life and work with a sense of pride and responsibility. “He was simply our father,” she says. “But at home, he loved spending time with us… He brought us gifts, took us on family vacations, and made time for us whenever he could.” In an era where human rights abuses continue to plague India, the Khalra case serves as a stark reminder of the state’s tendency to silence its critics.

The story of Jaswant Singh Khalra is far from over. It continues to haunt the streets of Amritsar and beyond, a reminder that some wounds refuse to heal, and some questions remain unanswered.