Who was Jaswant Singh Khalra? The human rights activist behind Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj

After spending nearly three years in certification limbo, Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj has finally been released on Zee5. The film, previously titled Punjab '95, is directed by Honey Trehan and is inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.

The project remained stalled after the Central Board of Film Certification reportedly sought 127 cuts, according to the filmmaker. It has now been released on the streaming platform under a new title and with zero cuts.

Apart from Diljit Dosanjh, the film features Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in pivotal roles.

As Satluj reaches audiences through its OTT release, here is a look at the real-life figure whose story inspired the film.

Who Was Jaswant Singh Khalra?

Jaswant Singh Khalra was a human rights activist from Punjab who became known for exposing cases of alleged illegal killings and secret cremations during the militancy years in the state.

Born in 1952 in Khalra village in Amritsar district, he worked as a bank employee during the 1980s before becoming actively involved in human rights work.

The Investigation That Brought Him Into The Spotlight

According to media reports, the events following Operation Blue Star, the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots had a profound impact on Khalra. During that period, many Sikh families reported that their relatives had gone missing after allegedly being picked up by the Punjab Police on suspicion of links with militancy.

As reports of disappearances mounted, Khalra began collecting information. His investigation eventually led him to municipal corporation records in Amritsar, where he reportedly discovered documents listing the names, ages and addresses of thousands of people who had allegedly been killed and cremated by the police without their families being informed.

His findings drew national and international attention to the issue and established him as one of Punjab's most prominent human rights advocates.

His Disappearance And The Court Case

In 1995, Jaswant Singh Khalra himself went missing. According to the Khalis Foundation, he was last seen washing his car outside his home before he disappeared.

The following year, the Central Bureau of Investigation found evidence that he had been held at a police station in Tarn Taran. The agency recommended the prosecution of nine Punjab Police officials in connection with his kidnapping and murder.

The legal proceedings continued for years. On October 16, 2007, a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, headed by Justices Mehtab Singh Gill and A N Jindal, enhanced the punishment to life imprisonment for four of the accused—former Sub-Inspectors Satnam Singh, Surinder Pal Singh, Jasbir Singh, and former Head Constable Prithipal Singh.

Jaswant Singh Khalra is survived by his wife, Paramjit Kaur Khalra, and their two children, Navkiran Kaur and Janmeet Singh.