--- title: 'KPS Gill: Supercop or Punjab''s Biggest Villain? | Punjab 95 & Satluj Explained | Diljit Dosanjh' source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=MtqVALboQ9o' video_id: 'MtqVALboQ9o' date: 2026-08-06 duration_sec: 2837 --- # KPS Gill: Supercop or Punjab's Biggest Villain? | Punjab 95 & Satluj Explained | Diljit Dosanjh > Source: [KPS Gill: Supercop or Punjab's Biggest Villain? | Punjab 95 & Satluj Explained | Diljit Dosanjh](https://youtube.com/watch?v=MtqVALboQ9o) ## Summary This video presents a comprehensive and balanced examination of KPS Gill, the Indian police officer who led the counter-insurgency operations in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s. It explores his role in ending terrorism, the controversies surrounding his methods, and the lasting impact of his actions, presenting both his heroic and villainous portrayals. ### Key Points - **Introduction to KPS Gill** [00:03] — The video introduces KPS Gill as a figure of fear and reverence, with a bushy moustache and countless medals, known as 'Superk' in parts of India. - **Two Sides of Gill** [01:02] — Gill is seen as the protector of India by some, but as the biggest face of a system where mothers' sons never returned from police stations by others. - **Crisis Man of India** [02:11] — For decades, whenever crises occurred, KPS Gill was remembered and called upon, earning him the title 'Crisis Man'. - **Awards and Controversies** [03:08] — Gill was awarded the Padma Shri, but also had a Supreme Court punishment upheld against him for misbehaving with a female IAS officer. - **Clandestine Cremations** [03:39] — The CBI confirmed 2097 clandestine cremations in just three crematoriums in Amritsar district, a key point in the controversy. - **Jaswant Singh Kharda** [04:10] — Kharda, who was documenting disappearances, was picked up by police in September 1995 and never returned, becoming part of the account himself. - **Two Funerals** [05:12] — When Gill died in 2017, India witnessed two funerals: one in Delhi with tributes, and one in Punjab where families of the missing demanded answers. - **Operation Black Thunder** [07:28] — Gill evacuated the Golden Temple without using tanks, leading to the surrender of 200 terrorists in front of cameras. - **Background of Punjab Crisis** [09:31] — The video explains the rise of Khalistan movement, Operation Blue Star, and the subsequent anti-Sikh riots that fueled terrorism. - **Gill's Early Life and Career** [13:10] — KPS Gill was born in 1934, joined the IPS in 1958, and chose the Assam-Meghalaya cadre to work away from home without political interference. - **Previous DGP's Policy** [16:01] — Before Gill, DGP Julio Ribeiro's 'bullet for bullet' policy failed, as he was attacked inside his own police line in 1986. - **Operation Black Thunder Details** [17:25] — In May 1988, Gill cordoned off the Golden Temple, cut off electricity, water, and food, leading to a 10-day siege and the surrender of militants. - **Gill Doctrine** [21:01] — Gill's strategy, known as the Gill Doctrine, emphasized that only local police can win a counter-terrorism war, not the army. - **Targeting Commanders** [22:10] — Gill's principle was to target commanders, not foot soldiers, to crush the 'hood' of the snake. - **Allegations of Fake Encounters** [23:50] — Gill's police were accused of encountering over 2500 people and burning them after declaring them unclaimed. - **Assassination of Beant Singh** [24:33] — Chief Minister Beant Singh was killed by a human bomb on 31 August 1995, and the attacker was a Punjab Police constable. - **Pattern of Alleged Encounters** [26:29] — The video outlines the alleged pattern: picking up individuals, illegal custody, fake encounters, and burning bodies as unclaimed. - **Jaswant Singh Kharda's Investigation** [27:11] — Kharda, a bank clerk, examined municipal records of cremation grounds and found thousands of unclaimed cremations, claiming 25,000 missing across Punjab. - **Kharda's Kidnapping** [29:49] — Kharda was picked up by police on 6 September 1995, six days after Beant Singh's murder, and never seen again. - **Court Convictions** [31:15] — In 2005, six policemen were convicted for Kharda's kidnapping and murder, with the High Court increasing sentences to life imprisonment in 2007. - **Molestation Case** [34:55] — In 1988, Gill allegedly molested IAS officer Rupan Deol Bajaj at a party; she fought the case for 17 years, and the Supreme Court convicted him in 2005. - **Gill's Personality** [36:23] — Despite his stern image, Gill was a scholar of English literature and a lover of Ghalib's poetry, writing books defending his actions. - **Gujarat Riots 2002** [38:24] — Gill was sent to Gujarat in 2002 to control riots after the Godhra incident, and violence subsided after his arrival. - **Death and Legacy** [41:10] — Gill died on 26 May 2017 at age 82, leaving a divided legacy: tributes from supporters and questions from families of the missing. - **The Unanswered Question** [43:08] — The video concludes that there are two truths about Gill, and the question of who he was remains unresolved. ### Conclusion The video presents KPS Gill as a deeply controversial figure, with both heroic and villainous aspects, leaving the audience to decide his legacy. It emphasizes that the debate over his actions remains alive, as shown by the recent ban of the film 'Sutlej'. ## Transcript that there are only two people to fear at night. One of a terrorist and the other of the man who of a terrorist and the other of the man who kills terrorists. kills terrorists. A tall and broad chieftain. A bushy moustache, countless medals on his chest, and a stone-like sternness on his face. Name and a stone-like sternness on his face. Name KPS. [Music] A part of India calls him Superk. The officer who won the war which even the Indian Army could not win. Which even the Indian Army could not win. Which saved Punjab from breaking up. Which saved Punjab from breaking up. Which broke the foundation of Khalistan movement in Punjab. But there is another part which says that KPS Gill was the biggest face of the system under that KPS Gill was the biggest face of the system under whose rule mothers' sons never returned home from police stations. The same man same man whom crores of people considered the crisis man of India and the whom crores of people considered the crisis man of India and the protector of India. protector of India. And the same man whose name makes millions of people and thousands of families shudder even 9 years after his death. even 9 years after his death. But the story of KPS Gill is not limited to Punjab only. From the riots in Assam to the terrorism in Punjab, even when Gujarat was burning in 2002, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani were talking about fulfilling their Rajdharma together, talking about fulfilling their Rajdharma together, it was KPS Gill who saved Gujarat from burning. At the beginning of the Modi era, it can be said that governments kept changing in this country. Chief Ministers kept changing. But Chief Ministers kept changing. But for decades, whenever things got out of hand, for decades, whenever things got out of hand, only one name would emerge. That is, the officer who was remembered in every crisis. Became Crisis Man. Became Crisis Man. But this is the same occasion about which But this is the same occasion about which even today people ask the question that why were the hands of this fire extinguisher even today people ask the question that why were the hands of this fire extinguisher And that is why the question comes to mind that some people are villains in history. There are some whom we see as heroes. But is KPS Gill one of these two ? Or maybe they are part of that third line. Or maybe they are part of that third line. On which even history cannot decide. Now look at the calculation. KPS Gill has countless medals on his chest. KPS Gill was awarded the Padma Shri Award by the Government of India. Padmashree but a punishment was upheld by the Supreme Court in front of the name of this same KPS Gill. And that punishment was not of encounter. A female IAS officer was misbehaved with. And if you think that the controversy surrounding KPS Gill's life ends here, then the most difficult question begins from here just three crematoriums in one district, Amritsar, were used by the CBI to confirm 2097 clandestine cremations. CBI to confirm 2097 clandestine cremations. And the person who counted these dead bodies , collected evidence, on which Zee5 made films, Sutlej, which you call Punjab 95. Character Jaswant Singh you call Punjab 95. Character Jaswant Singh Kharda In September 1995, the Kharda In September 1995, the police of the same KPS Gill picked him up from his house and he never returned. That means the man who was writing the account of others' disappearances himself became a part of the account under the rule of KPS Gill. 25,000 a job though not just that. Even after life and death, Gill is not leaving this country Even after life and death, Gill is not leaving this country because time changes but debates do not. When Diljit's film was banned in India within 48 hours. Whose story we told you for an hour in the previous video. Every single aspect in detail. KPS Gill is the biggest, most dangerous and most complicated character of the era that the film opens. and most complicated character of the era that the film opens. And to understand how complicated this character is, you can understand this by thinking that when KPS Gill died in 2017, India witnessed two funerals of one man. A funeral procession in Delhi where tributes were being paid. A funeral procession in Delhi where tributes were being paid. lost its greatest warrior. The biggest end Naxalism in 3 years. The one who said that I know how to eradicate terrorism in Kashmir. I calmed down the Gujarat riots. I calmed down the Assam riots. Freed Punjab from terrorism. And the same man, after his death, went to his home same man, after his death, went to his home in Punjab, in those villages where his old parents lived. He was just asking about those thousands of sons who were considered unclaimed and burnt. Those thousands of families who had been waiting for decades. Now who will give account of them? That means one man, two truths, two funerals and true tears on both sides because both have their own arguments. Both have proof and both have the arguments. Both have proof and both have the truth and this is KPS Gill. So today when we tell you the story of KPS Gill, we will not pass any judgment. Today in this story, I will take you not as a judge but as a witness and will show you everything. Which happened during the time of KPS Gill. The entire story from both sides without any cuts, without any hiding and it is possible that by the end of this video you may take a decision or it is possible that you may change your decisions many times by the time you reach the end. Sometimes you consider him the bravest police officer of the country and sometimes you consider him the biggest murderer of Punjab officer of the country and sometimes you consider him the biggest murderer of Punjab Hello, I am Shubhankar Mishra and today this story is very long because incomplete stories are the biggest disease of this country. So today I will tell you the whole story. The So today I will tell you the whole story. The whole truth A to Z. I will take you to whole truth A to Z. I will take you to that Punjab which was burning every day because he was not an officer of the Punjab cadre. Punjab was his home. Officer, he was from somewhere else. Then I will tell you about the operation in which the Golden Temple was evacuated without burning the tanks. 200 terrorists surrendered in front of the camera. 200 terrorists surrendered in front of the camera. Then that strategy which today the world reads as Gill Doctrine. And who ended a 10-year war in 2 years. And who ended a 10-year war in 2 years. But after this there will be that part of the story which was not recorded in any government file. Thousands of missing young men and the entire story of the man whose fate I have already told you. After this, we will tell you about the case in which a woman officer fought for 17 years and proved the country's most powerful policeman guilty in the Supreme Court. We will show you the burning Gujarat of 2002. Where this same KPS Gill was sent down to extinguish the fire. And then finally, the strong arguments of both the sides will be presented Not just through claims, but everything including court decisions, CBI investigations, government court decisions, CBI investigations, government records so that you can decide how you are going to view KPS Gill. So brother, please get some water. Sit down comfortably. Take some time because this story is very important for you to know and to understand this story you will have to walk with me for 50 years. In that Punjab from where this fire was first In that Punjab from where this fire was first spread. want to ask something from you. We want you to keep your relationship with us strong so that we can continue to bring you news with impartiality. One, join our channel and second, join our WhatsApp channel so that we can send you these videos ourselves. If you want, you can directly go to WhatsApp and search for Shubhankar Mishra pages and you will find us. If you do n't understand this much technical then the Our link is there. Please click on it. It is in the description. WhatsApp will connect directly. Now let's start with KPS Gill's 50 years of Shilakar. To understand the story of KPS Gill, you first have to look at the Punjab in first have to look at the Punjab in which he was brought up. It was the last phase of the 70s when a voice arose in Punjab for a separate country, Khalistan. The name of General Singh Bhindranwale started echoing everywhere in Punjab. It started with speeches. Then the gun started talking. Officers started getting killed. Journalists started getting killed. Common people were also being killed. Both Hindus and Sikhs who did not agree with this thinking. Both Hindus and Sikhs who did not agree with this thinking. After this came the month of June 1984. The After this came the month of June 1984. The government took steps whose echoes can be government took steps whose echoes can be heard even today. Operation Blue Star: The army entered the Golden Temple because Bhindranwale and his armed associates were camped there. Bhindranwale and his armed associates were camped there. Tanks were used, Akal Takht, the highest seat of the Sikhs, was reduced to rubble. After this, Bhindranwale died in that operation. But a wound was left in the heart of the Sikh community. But a wound was left in the heart of the Sikh community. After 5 months, on 31 October 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her own two Sikh bodyguards and after that, something happened in many cities including Delhi which was recorded in the black pages of this country. Anti-Sikh riots in which thousands of innocent Sikhs were killed. which thousands of innocent Sikhs were killed. On the streets, in homes, in trains. Now you think, Punjab was getting wound after wound. The youth of Punjab were angry and youth of Punjab were angry and this anger became the fuel for terrorism. Fuel was being poured into this fire from across the border. Weapons were also being given, money was also being given. And it is not that no efforts were made for peace. In July 1985, an agreement was reached between Rajiv Gandhi and Akali leader Sant Longowal. It seemed that perhaps a way forward had been found. But within a month of the agreement, Longiwal was Longiwal was shot dead by militants. The message was clear: whoever talks about peace will not survive. And in June of the same year, Air India's Kanishka plane coming from Canada was Air India's Kanishka plane coming from Canada was blown up in the air by a bomb. 329 people died. Most of them were Sikh families settled in Canada. That means this fire had crossed the borders of Punjab. Punjab remained drenched in blood for the next 10 years. How much bloodshed, Punjab remained drenched in blood for the next 10 years. How much bloodshed, consider it just an incident. One night in June 1991, armed men stopped two trains near Ludhiana. They entered the coaches and fired indiscriminately at the passengers. An estimated 80 people were killed in one night. estimated 80 people were killed in one night. And this was not an isolated incident. And this was not an isolated incident. In 1991 alone, more than two and a half thousand civilians were killed. An estimated 20,000 to 25,000 people died in the entire conflict. Which included common people, policemen and militants. And here you should understand one more thing. Most of those who were burnt in this fire were here you should understand one more thing. Most of those who were burnt in this fire were also Punjabis. Who were victims of terrorism and later also victims of police brutality. Now the story here is not about Hindus versus Sikhs. This is the story of burning Punjab. And you must remember this line of burning Punjab. And you must remember this line because the entire story ahead is based on this burning Punjab. And when this Punjab was burning, And when this Punjab was burning, in the year 1984, an officer in the year 1984, an officer named Kanwar Pal Singh Gill entered the scene. named Kanwar Pal Singh Gill entered the scene. KPS Gill was born on 29 December 1934 in a Jat Sikh family of Ludhiana. His father was an engineer in the Irrigation Department and believe me, the man whose name would make terrorists tremble in the future, was said to be so scared of darkness in his childhood that he was afraid of going out alone at night. An scared of darkness in his childhood that he was afraid of going out alone at night. An IPS officer of the year 1958 batch, but not from Punjab but from Assam Meghalaya cadre and it is said that this cadre was also chosen by KPS Gill himself. Deliberately away from home so that he could work without political interference. There, for about 28 years, he witnessed the insurgency in North East with his own eyes and kept fighting it. Senior journalist Shekhar Gupta had narrated an incident from those Assam years. Senior journalist Shekhar Gupta had narrated an incident from those Assam years. In 1983, while returning from a tour of riot-affected areas, Gill's convoy got stuck on a bridge. There was a Gill's convoy got stuck on a bridge. There was a and one machine gun. Gill remained calm and drove the car straight towards the crowd. The crowd left the way. Years later, when Gupta asked why the bullet was not fired that day? So Gill's why the bullet was not fired that day? So Gill's answer was, how many people would have died if he had allowed it? That means answer was, how many people would have died if he had allowed it? That means this man knew not only the game of guns but also the game of nerves. He understood how to deal with human psychology. But Assam not only gave Gill a medal but also a stain which followed him throughout his life. also a stain which followed him throughout his life. election demonstration was lathi-charged. Later, the body of 22-year-old student leader Khargeshwar was found and Gill was directly accused of murder. The situation was such that no witness or lawyer in Assam was ready to come forward. The case was sent to the Delhi High Court and later he was acquitted due to lack of evidence. Acquitted but the question remained alive. So alive that years later, when the Centre sent a proposal to make him the Governor of Assam, Assam's own government refused it. That is, the government sent a Sikh officer to the burning Punjab is, the government sent a Sikh officer to the burning Punjab who had closely crushed a rebellion who had closely crushed a rebellion and whose name already carried both stigma and accusations and from here begins the story of KPS Gill in Punjab. Let me clarify one more thing here that it is not that there was no strictness in Punjab before the arrival of KPS Gill. Strictness had been tried earlier also. Before KPS Gill, the Strictness had been tried earlier also. Before KPS Gill, the DGP of Punjab was Julio Ribeiro, whose policy was named 'Bullet for bullet'. But you can judge the situation from the fact But you can judge the situation from the fact that in 1986, Ribeiro himself was attacked inside his own police line in Jalandhar. That means when the DGP was not safe in his own camp, then the question is what would be the condition of the common man ? That means Gill was not the originator of the strictness that was being implemented in Punjab. Did ? That means Gill was not the originator of the strictness that was being implemented in Punjab. Did where this war was going to turn around. And you should understand this difference because this difference will further explain to you how to understand things in an easy way. Because when the excesses will be accounted for, not just one person will be in the dock but the entire system which was following this path for years. And then, by 1988, history begins to repeat itself. The Golden Temple once again falls into the hands of militants. Militants gather at the Golden Temple. The of militants. Militants gather at the Golden Temple. The armed men reach inside. Fronts are prepared. Now the government is again faced with the same old question: what should it do now? Should we send the army again? Should tanks be sent again? But this time the command was in the hands of KPS Gill. Who was made DGP of Punjab only a few months ago and Gill did something which was exactly opposite to Operation Blue Star. Operation Black Thunder was launched by KPS Gill in May 1988. By the way, a small operation with the same name had already been conducted in 1986. But what went down in history was this second Test in 1988 under Gill's command. Gill did not call in the army. Did not hurry to enter the temple. They cordoned off the entire complex. Electricity was cut off in the Golden Temple. Cut off the water. Food stopped coming in. Now bring this scene before your eyes. stopped coming in. Now bring this scene before your eyes. Every movement is being monitored through binoculars. On the road below, cameras from national and international media are lined up. They are showing it live and inside there is darkness, hunger, thirst and diminishing courage. This was Gill's most amazing move that he did not chase away the media but made them sit in front. Now the people sitting inside had only two options. Either die of hunger and thirst or come out. The siege lasted for 10 days. One day, around 940 devotees trapped in the temple were evacuated by ceasefire. That means there was calculation even in the siege. There was nothing indiscriminate. Some militants were killed in the encounter and then came the scene which the whole world saw before its eyes. About 200 militants saw before its eyes. About 200 militants came out in a line with their hands raised in front of the cameras and surrendered. The Golden Temple remained safe. No tank moved. Akal Takht was not broken. No new religious wounds were created and the militants who were calling themselves heroes of the community were seen surrendering before the world. At that time it was not just a military victory. This was a victory of thinking. Tanks were used in Operation Blue Star. The cameras were running in Operation Black Thunder and this difference became the identity of KPS Gill. this difference became the identity of KPS Gill. After this the country gave him a name Superk. In 1989, the government awarded him the Padma Shri and newspapers wrote that this man and newspapers wrote that this man knows how to win a war. But you wait because the real test was yet to come. Getting the temple vacated is one thing and uprooting terrorism from Punjab is a completely different thing and from here begins the different thing and from here begins the fight of KPS Gill in Punjab, the fight in which some people call him a super cop who eradicated terrorism, while some call him a murderer of the youth of Punjab, call him a super cop who eradicated terrorism, while some call him a murderer of the youth of Punjab, who who burnt the sons of Punjab by calling them unclaimed. In the year 1991, Punjab was going through its worst phase. Thousands of deaths were occurring every year. The situation was so bad that even the elections had to be postponed. The police were hiding in the police stations. As the evening fell, the streets were ruled by militants. Many policemen do not go home wearing their uniform due to fear. And one reason for this plight was that Gill was not in Punjab at that time. In 1990, when the central government was trying to negotiate with militant groups, one of the conditions put forward was to remove Gill from Punjab. Then there will be peace. Now you think for yourself that the name of an officer was in the list of conditions of the militants. The government called Gill to Delhi. But instead of peace, the situation became worse. Even the doctor son of the new DGP was killed. Finally, in 1991, the new central government Finally, in 1991, the new central government sent Gill back to Punjab, this time with complete freedom. sent Gill back to Punjab, this time with complete freedom. and as soon as he came, he changed the entire game. His strategy is known to the world today as the Gill Doctrine, and this is not some YouTube language. Today, counter-terrorism experts around the world regularly read and teach it. And one thing was certain at the foundation of this entire thinking that Gill was firmly convinced that the war against terrorism cannot be won by the army or outside forces. Only the local police can win this battle because only they recognize the streets of the village and the people in the streets. Everyone else can help. The Everyone else can help. The police will ensure victory and you must understand this. First of all, the police will ensure victory and you must understand this. First of all, the police will no longer defend. This changed with the arrival of Gill. She will attack. She will not sit in the police station and wait for the attack but will go from village to village and carry out the operation. Gill himself would travel to the most dangerous areas in a bulletproof convoy to eliminate the fear of the soldier. He believed that the day the fear of police ends, terrorism will start getting scared. With this the door for recruitment was opened. The strength of the Punjab Police was increased from around 35,000 to 60,000 and this had a hidden advantage. The youth who could have been drawn towards militancy yesterday was standing against the same thing by wearing the uniform. Secondly, the targets will be commanders, not foot soldiers. Gill's simple principle was that if you want to kill a snake, crush its hood and not its tail. A list of top commanders of every major organization was made and gradually that list became shorter. Thirdly, the network of informers, on which many films were made, later a film like Cat was made. Told the police in every village, offering amnesty and money to those who surrender so that the organization breaks from within and the police gets cash on the militants killed or captured. and the police gets cash on the militants killed or captured. Remember this last point. This will become the root of the biggest controversy in the future. And fourthly, perhaps the most impressive night capture. Which was formally named Night Dominance in police language. You have to understand that the real power of terrorism is night. Weapons move from one place to another only at night. It is only at night that the fighters eat food and take shelter in the villages. Gill snatched that night away from him. Night checkpoints, night sieges, night operations. The nights that once belonged to the militants now had police standing at every turn. The villages that were offering shelter started withdrawing their support. Because feeding the militant meant the police arriving at the door the next morning. Gill says that whoever wins Raj wins Punjab and fifthly, ballot along with gun. In 1992, elections were held under Gill's protection. Militants had threatened a boycott and the vote was only around 24% but the government was formed. Beant Singh became the Chief Minister and an elected government stood behind the police and this is where the last and most aggressive phase in Punjab begins. KPS Gill's police in Punjab was accused of encountering more than 2500 people and burning them after declaring them unclaimed. The police also paid the price in that war between terrorism and the police. policemen, their families and children living in Punjab were the targets. Not only soldiers but even senior officers were killed. SSP Govind Ram was blown up by a bomb in his office. That means, in those days, wearing a uniform meant putting the life of the entire family at stake. However, there is a bitter twist to this story of victory. Gill had won this battle on 31 August 1995, two years after peace returned, along with Chief Minister B. Ayan Singh. He was blown up by a human bomb outside the Chandigarh Secretariat. 17 more people were killed along with him. And the biggest shock was that the attacker turned out to be not an outsider but the attacker turned out to be not an outsider but a constable of the Punjab Police. That means the fire was extinguished but the sparks were alive and inside the system. Now you remember this date 31 August Now you remember this date 31 August 1995 because exactly six days after this another man was going to disappear. Gill's fans say that if this man had not been there, no one knows where Punjab would be on the map today. But the question that turns this whole story around. Punjab has become peaceful but how did this peace come? Who paid the price for its peace ? What you heard till now was the story from the front page of the newspaper. Now the story which was story from the front page of the newspaper. Now the story which was written in the registers of cremation grounds. written in the registers of cremation grounds. This is the part of the story that makes films like Sutlej get deleted even after 30 years. The films like Sutlej get deleted even after 30 years. The picked up thousands of youth from their homes. Without any arrest, without any trial. Without any arrest, without any trial. Many were killed in alleged fake encounters. The bodies of many were quietly burnt after declaring them unclaimed. was dumped into the canals. dumped into the canals. This reward policy was introduced. And here understand the logic of both. The police's stand was that rewarding soldiers who risk their lives is police's stand was that rewarding soldiers who risk their lives is is nothing new in this. Its critics were saying that when rewards start being given on dead bodies, encounters become a business for some people. Because the more dead bodies, the more money, the more progress. And how does this business run ? Let us understand the outline of its allegations. You picked up some young man. Kept in illegal custody for a few days. Then an encounter was shown at some deserted place. The body was burnt after declaring it to be that of an unknown terrorist and successful encounter, reward and promotion were recorded in the file. There was no claimant to the dead body, nor anyone to ask questions. claimant to the dead body, nor anyone to ask questions. This is the same pattern that later emerged in the court investigation of the Khalda case. Now the truth lies somewhere between these two. There was only one man who turned in those papers. Do you remember the name we took a while ago? While calculating the disappearances of others, he himself became a part of that calculation. Name Jaswant Singh Kharda, the same person whose character is played by Diljit Dossa in Sutlej. Neither a played by Diljit Dossa in Sutlej. Neither a policeman nor a terrorist, he is a simple man working in a bank in Amritsar, whose character is played by Diljit in the film. In 1992, Kharda bank director Piara Singh was arrested by the police. Later it was found out that he was killed in an encounter. The last rites were performed without informing the family. A question came to Kharda's mind that if the family was burnt without informing, then how many more such occasions would there be? And then this bank clerk did what big agencies could not do. Khalda examined the municipal records of cremation grounds. cremation grounds of Amritsar - Durgiana, Patti and Tarn Taran. Thousands of unclaimed cremated remains. Kharda claimed that around 25,000 people went missing across Punjab. Now stop here for a second and think that there was not just one person who did all this. There was a wife and children at home. That means Khada had a lot to lose and he knew what he was counting on. What could happen to them? he was counting on. What could happen to them? And this difference is very important. Because this is honesty. 25,000 Kharda was claimed for the whole of Punjab. However, what was confirmed was no less terrifying. After investigation, CBI had confirmed After investigation, CBI had confirmed 297 illegal cremations in the areas of these cremation grounds. And keep in mind that it is not that CBI looked at the rest of Punjab and found nothing. The scope of his investigation was only this area. The rest of Punjab was never counted. That is why only an area of ​​around 2000 is found here. In early 1995, Kharda also went to Canada and presented these documents to the world. There he said something which was recorded in history, the story of a lamp which we had told earlier also. For those who don't know, I want to tell them again that I tell them again that I want to eradicate darkness. today millions of people are becoming that lamp and conveying this message. However, when Kharda Sahib returned to India, he received threats and these threats are recorded in the court records. A direct message was sent to Kharda by Tarn Taran SSP Ajit Singh Sandhu to stop it otherwise you will also be included in the list of unclaimed bodies. Khal did not stop but issued a press note a few days before his kidnapping in which he wrote that I know the police will which he wrote that I know the police will kill me soon but killing me will not stop the mission of finding the missing Sikhs and then on 6 September 1995, exactly six days after the murder of Beyant Singh, when Kharda was washing his car outside his house, the police came and picked him up and he was never seen again. This kidnapping was not a conspiracy hatched in the dark, there was an eyewitness to this, Kharda's companion who saw all this with his own eyes, he was intimidated and threatened but he stood firm in the court and later became a part of that testimony. Now understand one more thing here. At the time Kharda was picked up, the Punjab Police was under the command of KPS Gill and he retired at the end of the same year. Now what I am going to tell you next is not just an allegation. It is the court's decision. The CBI investigation revealed that Khalra was kept in illegal detention in Tarn Taran. He was testimony said that at the last moment he had just asked for some water at the last moment he had just asked for some water and in response he was given pills. just asked for water and was given pills. This is kind of disturbing. Well, I have to tell the story. The This was the moment when but in 2005 the court convicted six policemen of kidnapping and murder. In 2007, the High Court increased the sentence to life imprisonment and this decision did not come from the sky. After Khalra's death, his wife Paramjit Kaur gave it to him. She kept going to the courts for 10 years. Kept the witnesses engaged. Threats were faced and only then was punishment given. That means the law of the lamp which was extinguished was kept alive by a woman. And the most important thing is that the truth for which Kharda had put his life to prove, his own death put a judicial halt to that truth. After this, the Supreme Court handed over the case to the National Human Rights Commission and hundreds of families received compensation. And there's one detail in those 2097 that received compensation. And there's one detail in those 2097 that makes the unclaimed even more terrifying. During the investigation, about 582 of these bodies were completely identified. This means that there were hundreds of dead bodies whose names and addresses could be known. But still the families were not informed. It was quietly burned. In most cases, it was never determined who killed whom. The families received the money but no answers. families received the money but no answers. Remember one more name. Former SSP of Tarn Taran, Ajit Singh Sandhu, whose threat you heard about. He was the main accused in the Khara case. Went to jail and got released on bail. And he used to jump in front of a train on May 23, 1997 [music]. There was jump in front of a train on May 23, 1997 [music]. There was also a note written in Punjabi from the spot. Instead of living a life of disgrace, it is better to die. That means it is better to die than to live a life of humiliation. also belongs to the system which ultimately left its own soldiers alone. And Gill tells you his side of the story with complete honesty. KPS Gill argued that 100% clean operations are not possible in war-like conditions. argued that 100% clean operations are not possible in war-like conditions. according to him, most of the encounters were with real militants. His response to the disappearances was even more scathing. He claimed that many of the people reported missing were not dead. Instead, he fled abroad. His family members come to his place. Moreover, Gill even claimed that of all the battles fought against terrorism in the world, all the battles fought against terrorism in the world, this campaign in Punjab was the most controlled. It was the most human. He used to say that calling the entire force murderers is an insult to those 1700 martyrs who sacrificed their lives in uniform. And you should also understand one more fact here. In the Kharda case, lower level policemen were punished. Gill himself was never prosecuted in this matter. No court ever found him guilty of the encounters. He stood like a rock in defense of his officers till his last breath. Supporters call it leadership. A captain did not leave his soldiers alone. Critics call it a shield. Behind which crimes remained hidden. You keep thinking who is right. Till then let me tell you an incident that happened far away from guns and encounters. incident that happened far away from guns and encounters. Yes. And this is the question that arose that where did the man who was never convicted in the court on charges of thousands of encounters lose ? The answer will upset you. In the evening of a party. On July 18, 1988, there was a party of officers in Chandigarh. Senior IAS officer Rupen Deol Bajaj was present there. It is alleged that in that party, the country's most powerful police officer KPS Gill molested her. Now you think that on one side there is the man whom the entire country considers the protector of Punjab. On the other hand, a female officer is saying that no matter how high the status, wrong is wrong. Bajaj says that when she complained, the entire system from top to bottom got involved in suppressing the matter. Even a senior officer said that such things keep happening. Consider yourself lucky that the matter did not escalate further. People said leave it, you will not win. But Bajaj fought the case. Not one year, not two years , but 17 years. The Supreme Court decision came in 2005. Gill was convicted. The court did However, Gill never publicly apologized even after this. And Bajaj donated the fine money to a women's organization. He did not want money. I just needed a line in history that no matter how high the status, wrong is wrong. And this was not an allegation but the seal of the country's highest court. Now you understand this picture that on one side KPS Gill has Padmashree in his hand and the punishment upheld by the Supreme Court in front of his name. punishment upheld by the Supreme Court in front of his name. This contradiction is KPS G. And This contradiction is KPS G. And this contradiction was not just a case. It was also in his personality. Very few people know that this stern-faced policeman was a scholar of English literature. He was a great lover of Ghalib's poetry. After retirement, he wrote books, the most famous of which was Punjab: The Nights of Falls, where he openly defended the war in Punjab and every decision he made. That means poetry in one hand and the wonder of the country's bloodiest war in the other. Never apologized, never regretted. He kept saying till the end in TV debates that I have saved Punjab and I am proud of it. Life after Punjab was also full of ups and downs. In between, he headed the Indian Hockey Federation for 14 years, In between, he headed the Indian Hockey Federation for 14 years, which started with the 1998 Asian Games gold and ended in 2008 when the Indian Olympic Association dissolved the federation amid allegations of corruption and in the same year, the country which gave birth to hockey could not even play in the Olympics. Hockey was the side story, though. But the real question is why did this man keep getting called to every fire even after he took off his uniform KPS Gill was India's crisis man every time. research institute, the Institute for Conflict Management. From where he continued to write on terrorism and advise governments till the end. And from here opens that chapter of his life which That Assam whose story we told you in the beginning. 28 years amidst riots, movements, communal violence where Gill taught how to read and control the crowd. That story of the burning bridge that we told you, where he left with the car. told you, where he left with the car. Told you about Punjab. In the year 2000, even Sri Lanka, battling the LTTE, had sought strategy from KPS Gill. sought strategy from KPS Gill. But a turning point came in the life of KPS Gill But a turning point came in the life of KPS Gill in 2002, the most controversial turning point. On in 2002, the most controversial turning point. On 27 February 2002, a bogie of Sabarmati Express was burnt in Godhra. 59 people were killed, most of them were Kar Sevaks. After that, Gujarat burned in a way that was rarely seen in independent India. The violence continued for weeks. According to government figures, there were more than 1000 deaths, in which a large number were Muslims. Questions were being raised from all sides and the situation was not coming under control. Then the Vajpayee not coming under control. Then the Vajpayee government at the Centre once again remembered the same name and government at the Centre once again remembered the same name and in 2002 KPS Gill was sent to Gujarat. By in 2002 KPS Gill was sent to Gujarat. By KPS Gill did the same thing in Gujarat which was his identity. Made the police accountable. Strict action against lax officers, visible presence of police on the roads. The violence subsided in the weeks after their arrival. Now, Supporters say that the attitude of the police changed as soon as Gill arrived. It was his strength that both Hindus and Muslims became calm. People were afraid that what it had done in Punjab should not happen in Gujarat. And because of this, people calmed down, the rioters calmed down, they got scared. The police officer became encouraged. He used to straighten the reins of the force. Critics say the worst of the violence had passed before he arrived. People know how much power an advisor has. passed before he arrived. People know how much power an advisor has. during an interview promoting his biography, Gill denied any role of the Chief Minister in those riots. This statement also made him a character in a debate that has not ended till date. That means, in Gujarat also, Gill was doing the same thing which he had been doing his entire life. A fire extinguisher for one side and a question mark for the other. called him. That is, from Assam to Punjab, from Punjab to Sri Lanka, from Sri Lanka to Gujarat and from Gujarat to the forests of Bastar, wherever there was fire in India, any government, any Chief Minister, everyone was remembering the name of KPS Gill. And you should also remember that the man himself remained a target all his life. Several plots to assassinate KPS Gill were detected. He had to live under the highest level of security till his last breath. The battle he had won was never completely over for him. It is said about KPS Gill that he was a great lover of alcohol. I have no idea how much alcohol he used to consume. And yet he managed to control himself. Live life on your own terms. life on your own terms. And then he died on 26 May 2017 in Delhi at the age of 82. The nation's reaction on the day of his death was the same as it had been throughout his life. Divided into two parts. On one hand, there was a flood of tributes that the country had lost its greatest warrior. On the other hand, those old parents sitting in the villages of Punjab just asked who will give account of our sons? And from here arises the question that who was KPS Gill? who was KPS Gill? In the crisis of India, see, India's bravest son or Punjab's murderer or Punjab's protector, there or Punjab's protector, there are two sides in this and they are side which says that the protector is proof that today's Punjab is peaceful. It is inhabited. It is a part of India. The first thing supporters say is that those who raise questions on Gill today are doing so in the same Punjab which is after Gill. He reminds that the person in front was not a saint. killed more than 1700 policemen, who would take passengers off trains and buses, line them up and shoot them. With whom every attempt to negotiate had failed and if it had been possible, it would have been Delhi. If the terrorists had said what they said, peace would have come. The son of the then DGP would not have been murdered. There would not have been murdered. There would not have been more than 1700 martyred policemen. Gill's admirers say that no court held Gill personally guilty in any encounter case, including the Kharda case, no court held Gill personally guilty in any encounter case, including the Kharda case, ended so happily. But the other side, which KPS calls Gatil, its biggest argument is that whatever the result, the method does not make it legitimate. The peace that came by keeping the Constitution aside is not peace but silence which is created out of fear. If 2097 clandestine cremations of unclaimed bodies were found in just three crematoriums during the If 2097 clandestine cremations of unclaimed bodies were found in just three crematoriums during the tenure of KPS Gill, then how many would there be in the entire Punjab? And it has not been accounted for. And the man who was just counting was also killed. The court accepted that the killers were in uniform. Compensation was distributed. Some soldiers went to jail but accountability of any higher officer was not fixed. The punishment always remained with those at the bottom and never went up. The latest evidence is that the wound is still fresh. Even in 2026, a film could n't survive 48 hours. Now listen carefully to the last point. There are two mothers in Punjab. A mother whose son was sitting on the bus like Ross. The militants stopped the bus. The son was taken down and shot. If you ask that mother who is KPS Gill If you ask that mother who is KPS Gill ? So she will say that if he had not come, this sequence would never have stopped. KPS Gill is the one who avenged us and saved the sons of mothers like me from dying. On the other hand, in the same Punjab, there is a mother whose son was taken away by the police one night, neither arrest nor case nor body and she has been making rounds of the police station for 30 years. If you ask her who KPS Gill was, she will say that KPS Gill was the biggest face of the system which swallowed my son. is lying? If we ask you this question, you probably won't have an answer. Perhaps both are telling the truth and perhaps this is the biggest tragedy of KPS Gill's story. There is no single truth here. There are two and both have evidence. The Sutlej's retreat within 48 hours simply shows that this history has not yet become history. This is still present today. And Sutlej is not the first film. From Maachis to Punjab is not the first film. From Maachis to Punjab 1984 and Chauthi Koot, cinema has been asking questions about this era for 30 years. 1984 and Chauthi Koot, cinema has been asking questions about this era for 30 years. , perhaps that day these wounds will start healing. Who was KPS Gill? The country's bravest officer, Punjab's biggest murderer or the man who was both and the question hidden beneath it all is bigger than all three. question hidden beneath it all is bigger than all three. price to pay for this peace. Look at any battle in history, Look at any battle in history, everywhere. And this is called collateral damage in the world of war. But could that collateral damage be to our own people? So big. There are mothers on both sides, there are sons on both sides. There are tears on both sides. And now waiting for your reply. And now waiting for your reply. Just one word in the comments. KPS Gill. Just one word in the comments. KPS Gill. India's biggest super cop or murder or dod and below that a line that why, and below that a line that why, because this is the thing which died first in that era. Dreaming of listening to another person. We have tried to honestly present all the points of view from both sides We have tried to honestly present all the points of view from both sides comment section is waiting for you. Who went to KPS? And why? I liked the video. If you are forced to think then join us. Please share this story with your loved ones and also come to our WhatsApp. Please strengthen your relationship with us. See you in the next story. Jai Punjab, Jai Bharat.