Phagwara (Gonspur)

27 documented cases implicating security forces based in Phagwara (Gonspur):

Amritsar District

Baba Bakala Subdistrict
Gurmej Kaur Female, age 64-65 at time of extrajudicial execution, Kaleke
Harjinder Singh Male, age 18 at time of extrajudicial execution, Kaleke
Manjinder Singh Male, age 16 at time of extrajudicial execution, Kaleke
Sukhchain Singh Male, age 39-40 at time of extrajudicial execution, Kaleke
Surjit Singh Male, age 20-21 at time of extrajudicial execution, Butala
Patti Subdistrict
Jaswinder Singh Male, age 20-21 at time of extrajudicial execution, Khemkaran

Jalandhar District

Jalandhar I Subdistrict
Amarjit Singh Male, age 18 at time of extrajudicial execution, Jamsher Kera
Jaswinder Singh Male, age 33 at time of disappearance, Hardo Pharala
Jalandhar II Subdistrict
Harjon Singh Male, age 21 at time of extrajudicial execution, Haller
Ravinderjit Singh Male, age 28 at time of extrajudicial execution, Binpalke
Nakodar Subdistrict
Amarjit Singh Male, age 24-25 at time of extrajudicial execution, Bir Pind
Naresh Kumar Male, age 21 at time of extrajudicial execution, Gohir
Phillaur Subdistrict
Karm Chand Male, age 60 at time of extrajudicial execution, Mansurpur
Shahkot Subdistrict
Sikander Singh Male, age 20-21 at time of extrajudicial execution, Nawanpind Donawala

Kapurthala District

Bhulath Subdistrict
Joginder Singh Male, age 28-29 at time of extrajudicial execution, Khassan
Phagwara Subdistrict
Amar Singh Male, age 64 at time of extrajudicial execution, Gaunspur
Baldev Singh Male, age 22 at time of extrajudicial execution, Rampur Sunran
Harjit Kumar Male, age 24 at time of extrajudicial execution, Gandhwan
Jaspal Singh Male, age 45 at time of extrajudicial execution, Gandhwan
Kulwinder Singh Male, age 16-17 at time of disappearance, Tanda Bhagana
Palwinder Singh Male, age 22-23 at time of extrajudicial execution, Rawal Pindi
Satpal Singh Male, age 39-40 at time of extrajudicial execution, Gandhwan
Surinder Singh Male, age 28 at time of extrajudicial execution, Phagwara

Nawanshahr District

Nawanshahr Subdistrict
Chhinder Pal Male, age 21 at time of disappearance, Mangat Dhingrian
Nirmal Singh Male, age 28 at time of extrajudicial execution, Mahliana

Location Withheld

Anonymous Male, age 22 at time of extrajudicial execution, location withheld
Anonymous Male, age 30-35 at time of extrajudicial execution, location withheld

Key statistics of cases implicating security forces based in Phagwara (Gonspur):

Victim Demographics 

Gender

96.3% Male 26
 
 
3.7% Female 1

Marital status

51.9% Not married 14
 
 
48.1% Married 13

If married, did the victim have children?

37.0% Yes 10
 
 
7.4% No 2


Total children surviving victims: 32

Religion

88.9% Sikh 24
 
 
11.1% Non-Sikh 3

Caste

59.3% Jat 16
 
 
40.7% Non-Jat 11

Age

7.4% 0-17 2
 
70.4% 18-33 19
 
11.1% 34-49 3
 
7.4% 50-64 2
 

Education

11.1% No education 3
 
14.8% Primary school 4
 
11.1% Middle school 3
 
44.4% High school 12
 
3.7% Some college 1
 
11.1% College degree 3
 
3.7% Graduate degree 1
 

Employment

37.0% Farmer/agriculture 10
 
25.9% Student 7
 
7.4% Shopkeeper 2
 
3.7% Day labourer 1
 
3.7% Housewife 1
 
3.7% Unemployed 1
 
22.2% Other 6
 

Urban / Rural

77.8% Rural 21
 
 
14.8% Urban 4

Abduction, Detention, & Torture 

Prior detentions

29.6% Yes 8
 
 
70.4% No 19

Prior torture

18.5% Yes 5
 
 
11.1% No 3

Abduction preceding enforced disappearance/extrajudicial execution

92.6% Yes 25
 
 
7.4% No 2

Security officials informed witnesses where they were taking the victim

28.6% Yes 4
 
 
114.3% No 16

Witnesses to abduction

51.9% Yes 14
 
 
14.8% No 4

Victim abduction location

18.5% Roadside 5
 
11.1% Victim’s residence 3
 
11.1% Village fields 3
 
3.7% Shop/market 1
 
33.3% Other 9
 

Detention facility type

Data forthcoming

Preceding detention location known

55.6% Yes 15
 
 
29.6% No 8

Witnesses to detention preceding enforced disappearance/extrajudicial execution

Data forthcoming

Security official response to victim status

18.5% Killed victim in an “encounter” 5
 
18.5% Other 5
 
14.8% Denied involvement 4
 
7.4% Gave no response 2
 
7.4% Admitted custody only 2
 
7.4% Told family to go to another police station 2
 

Victim presented before judge/magistrate

3.7% Yes 1
 
 
63.0% No 17

Enforced Disappearances vs. Extrajudicial Executions 

Classification

88.9% Extrajudicial executions 24
 
 
11.1% Enforced disappearances 3

Number of victims per family

74.1% 1 victim 20
 
14.8% 2 victim 4
 
11.1% 3 victim 3
 

Related incidents

0.0% Genuine encounters in family 0
 
 
96.3% No genuine encounters in family 26

Body Disposal 

Body disposal by security forces

22.2% Cremated the body 6
 

Security forces returned body

25.9% Yes 7
 
0.0% Yes, but forced immediate cremation 0
 
59.3% No 16
 

Condition of corpse, if known

18.5% Bruises 5
 
18.5% Bullet wounds 5
 
3.7% Broken bones 1
 

Security Forces Implicated 

Names of involved security officials known

70.4% Yes 19
 
 
18.5% No 5

Security forces uniformed

121.4% Yes 17
 
 
21.4% No 3

Type(s) of security forces involved in abduction

88.9% Punjab Police 24
 
18.5% CRPF 5
 
7.4% Black cat 2
 

Type(s) of security forces involved in extrajudicial execution

85.2% Punjab police 23
 
3.7% CRPF 1
 
3.7% Criminal Investigation Agency 1
 

Militancy Involvement 

Combatant status

33.3% Combatant 9
 
 
66.7% Non-combatant 18

Non-combatant, provided support to militants

14.8% Yes 4
 
 
48.1% No 13

If provided support, support was voluntary

11.1% Yes 3
 
 
0.0% No 0

Remedies & Impact 

Approached court or commission

29.6% Yes 8
 
 
70.4% No 19

Approached security officials

74.1% Yes 20
 
 
25.9% No 7

Reason the family did not pursue any kind of action

48.1% Afraid of retaliation 13
 
29.6% Believed it would have been ineffective 8
 
14.8% Didn’t know what to do 4
 
7.4% Couldn’t afford 2
 

Remedies desired from government

66.7% Criminal sanctions against those responsible 18
 
51.9% Truth commission 14
 
48.1% Monetary compensation to family 13
 
48.1% Public acknowledgement of wrongful deaths 13
 
44.4% Investigations into abuses 12
 
18.5% Desire nothing from government 5
 
14.8% Employment 4
 
11.1% Memorial for victims 3
 
3.7% Other 1
 

Year & District 

District

22.2% Amritsar 6
 
29.6% Jalandhar 8
 
33.3% Kapurthala 9
 
7.4% Nawanshahr 2
 

Year

0.0% 1981 0
 
0.0% 1982 0
 
3.7% 1983 1
 
0.0% 1984 0
 
0.0% 1985 0
 
0.0% 1986 0
 
0.0% 1987 0
 
0.0% 1988 0
 
18.5% 1989 5
 
37.0% 1990 10
 
3.7% 1991 1
 
25.9% 1992 7
 
7.4% 1993 2
 
0.0% 1994 0
 
0.0% 1995 0
 
0.0% 1996 0
 
3.7% 1997 1
 
0.0% 1998 0
 
0.0% 1999 0
 
0.0% 2000 0
 
0.0% 2001 0
 
0.0% 2002 0
 
0.0% 2003 0
 
0.0% 2004 0
 
0.0% 2005 0
 
0.0% 2006 0
 
0.0% 2007 0
 
0.0% 2012 0
 
0.0% Date Unknown 0
 

Boundaries based on the 2001 census. Read about our methodology.