Mohd. Izhar Alam

 

At least Enforced Disappearances/Extrajudicial Executions

The dossier of Mohammad Izhar Alam visualizes cases of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions reportedly committed under his command during his tenure as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) or Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in various jurisdictions of Punjab. He not only permitted his subordinates and other security forces to perpetrate violations against residents in his assigned jurisdictions, but he also allowed them to travel extraterritorially to target individuals. Further, during the counterinsurgency, human rights groups regularly reported on the Alam Sena, a paramilitary group organized and run by Alam and notorious for human rights violations.

The number of cases presented here is an undercounting of the likely cases perpetrated under his command. These cases draw from Ensaaf’s interviews with family members of the victims and other witnesses, and present the information provided by them. This visualization excludes all cases where complete incident dates or locations were not available. Without this information, it is difficult to ascertain whether those incidents occurred under Alam’s command. This data also excludes cases of individuals who were arbitrarily detained or tortured by Alam or officials under his command.

We will update the cases of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions reported under his command, as we receive more information. To a large extent, however, this information and the complete truth rests with the government of India.

Command History

Unless otherwise noted, Mohammad Izhar Alam’s command history draws from the following sources: (1) the annual Civil List of the Indian Police Service (IPS) for the Punjab cadre, prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs, naming the position and date of posting of the senior police official as of January 1 of that year for 1983 to 1996, (2) news reports from the Punjabi daily newspaper Ajit and the English daily Tribune (Chandigarh), and (3) the individual websites of Punjab’s police districts, listing the names of Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP) and their dates of tenure. This information draws from publicly available records/sources; the complete account of Alam’s official postings and activities lies with the government of India.

  • SSP Ropar, October 31, 1983 - November 14, 1985


  • SSP Jalandhar, November 15, 1985 - June 30, 1986


  • SSP Amritsar, July 1, 1986 - April 19, 1988
    (The IPS List from 1987 and the Amritsar police website vary by one week on both the starting and ending dates. The dates provided by the Amritsar police are used here.)


  • Padma Shri awarded by Government of India in August 1987

  • SSP Jalandhar, April 27, 1988 - most likely May 21, 1989


  • Most likely DIG, Border Range, May 27, 1989 - November 14,1989
    (On May 21, 1989, the Tribune reported that Alam took over as DIG Jalandhar Range on May 21, 1989, but then subsequent articles stated he was DIG Border Range as of May 27. See, e.g., May 27, 1989, p. 8, “Areas Changed”. Because this posting falls in the middle of the year, it is not reported in the IPS Civil List. Further, the Punjab Police website does not provide information regarding its historical postings of DIG.)


Personal Participation

  • cases directly implicating Mohd. Izhar Alam in abduction, disappearance, and/or killing

Known Promotions

The government of India consistently promoted Mohd. Izhar Alam throughout his career to the highest ranks of Punjab Police, including Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). It also rewarded Alam in 1987 with the Padma Shri civilian award. He retired from the police service in 2009. Alam died in 2021, escaping accountability for human rights violations committed by him and under his command.

  • DIG/Punjab Armed Police, Jalandhar Cantt., November 15, 1989

  • DIG, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), April 22, 1990 - at least 1994 (reported in IPS Civil Lists)

  • Inspector General of Police (IG), Commando, BNS Patiala, December 21, 1995 (according to 1996 IPS List)

  • IG (Prisons), position held as of March 6, 2002, as reported in Times of India

  • ADGP (Prisons), promoted April 26, 2002, according to the Tribune
Legal Cases / Select News Articles
Saka Nakodar killings, February 4, 1986: Visit victim profiles of Baldhir Singh Multani, Jhilman Singh, Harminder Singh, and Ravinder Singh, for various news articles reporting on Alam’s role and response.
Tribune, December 30, 1986, p. 1, “Five Intruders Shot Dead.” Alam mentions the arrest of Gurdip Singh, who years later was unlawfully killed by police.
Tribune, April 11, 1987, p. 12, “Chowk Mehta Shrine ‘Shelters Killers.’” Newspaper article reports people Alam wants to arrest, including Waryam Singh, who was later unlawfully killed in 1990.
Tribune, December 16, 1987, p.1, “6 Hardcore Terrorists Shot.” Alam reports the killings of Swaranjit Singh, Surmukh Singh, and Mohinder Singh as genuine killings, but the families reported them as unlawful killings to Ensaaf.
Ajit, February 18, 1988, p.3, “Balkar Singh from Canada had to endure 14 hours torture from Amritsar Police.” A Supreme Court petition is filed on behalf of a Canadian citizen, charging Alam, among others, of unlawful detention and torture.
Tribune, May 4, 1989, p. 16, “Probe into Canadian torture over.” Alam is one of 5 officials accused of torturing Canadian citizen.
Ajit, December 11, 1989, p. 1, “Demand from UNO to Protect the Human Rights being Crushed in Punjab.”
Other Reports
  • Cable, US Embassy in New Delhi, December 19, 2005, shared on Wikileaks: “During the insurgency, he [Alam] assembled a large, personal paramilitary force of approximately 150 men known as the ‘Black Cats’ or ‘Alam Sena’ (‘Alam’s Army’) that included cashiered police officers and rehabilitated Sikh terrorists. The group had reach throughout the Punjab and is alleged to have had carte blanche in carrying out possibly thousands of staged ‘encounter killings.’”

  • Cable, US Embassy in New Delhi, July 3, 2006, shared on Wikileaks, mentioning Alam Sena.

  • Tribune, February 28, 1988, p.5, “Police, terrorism and justice.”
Key Statistics of cases directly implicating Mohd. Izhar Alam:

Victim Demographics 

Gender

95.5% Male 21
 
 
4.5% Female 1

Marital status

68.2% Not married 15
 
 
31.8% Married 7

If married, did the victim have children?

31.8% Yes 7
 


Total children surviving victims: 17

Religion

100.0% Sikh 22
 

Caste

81.8% Jat 18
 
 
18.2% Non-Jat 4

Age

4.5% 0-17 1
 
86.4% 18-33 19
 
4.5% 34-49 1
 
4.5% 50-64 1
 

Education

9.1% No education 2
 
22.7% Primary school 5
 
13.6% Middle school 3
 
27.3% High school 6
 
9.1% College degree 2
 
13.6% Graduate degree 3
 
4.5% Vocational degree 1
 

Employment

36.4% Farmer/agriculture 8
 
27.3% Student 6
 
4.5% Day labourer 1
 
4.5% Driver (bus/truck/car) 1
 
4.5% Housewife 1
 
4.5% Unemployed 1
 
27.3% Other 6
 

Urban / Rural

95.5% Rural 21
 
 
4.5% Urban 1

Abduction, Detention, & Torture 

Prior detentions

68.2% Yes 15
 
 
22.7% No 5

Prior torture

40.9% Yes 9
 
 
27.3% No 6

Abduction preceding enforced disappearance/extrajudicial execution

77.3% Yes 17
 
 
22.7% No 5

Security officials informed witnesses where they were taking the victim

0.0% Yes 0
 
 
108.3% No 13

Witnesses to abduction

54.5% Yes 12
 
 
4.5% No 1

Victim abduction location

27.3% Roadside 6
 
9.1% Victim’s residence 2
 
9.1% Checkpoint (naka) 2
 
4.5% Friend/relative's residence 1
 
4.5% Village fields 1
 
4.5% Shop/market 1
 
4.5% Police station 1
 
9.1% Other 2
 

Detention facility type

Data forthcoming

Preceding detention location known

50.0% Yes 11
 
 
27.3% No 6

Witnesses to detention preceding enforced disappearance/extrajudicial execution

Data forthcoming

Security official response to victim status

13.6% Gave no response 3
 
9.1% Denied involvement 2
 
9.1% Admitted extrajudicial execution with no explanation 2
 
4.5% Killed victim in an “encounter” 1
 
4.5% Victim had escaped 1
 
4.5% Other 1
 

Victim presented before judge/magistrate

4.5% Yes 1
 
 
50.0% No 11

Enforced Disappearances vs. Extrajudicial Executions 

Classification

95.5% Extrajudicial executions 21
 
 
4.5% Enforced disappearances 1

Number of victims per family

72.7% 1 victim 16
 
22.7% 2 victim 5
 
4.5% 3 victim 1
 

Related incidents

0.0% Genuine encounters in family 0
 
 
100.0% No genuine encounters in family 22

Body Disposal 

Body disposal by security forces

45.5% Cremated the body 10
 
4.5% Dumped body in canal or river 1
 

Security forces returned body

9.1% Yes 2
 
9.1% Yes, but forced immediate cremation 2
 
77.3% No 17
 

Condition of corpse, if known

36.4% Bullet wounds 8
 
22.7% Other 5
 
9.1% Broken bones 2
 
4.5% Bruises 1
 
4.5% Cuts/wounds 1
 
4.5% Missing fingernails 1
 
4.5% Burn marks 1
 

Security Forces Implicated 

Names of involved security officials known

100.0% Yes 22
 
 
0.0% No 0

Security forces uniformed

108.3% Yes 13
 
 
0.0% No 0

Type(s) of security forces involved in abduction

77.3% Punjab Police 17
 
22.7% CRPF 5
 
4.5% BSF 1
 
4.5% Black cat 1
 

Type(s) of security forces involved in extrajudicial execution

95.5% Punjab police 21
 
31.8% CRPF 7
 
18.2% BSF 4
 
4.5% Black cat 1
 

Militancy Involvement 

Militant status

68.2% Militant 15
 
 
22.7% Non-militant 5

Non-militant, provided support to militants

9.1% Yes 2
 
 
13.6% No 3

If provided support, support was voluntary

4.5% Yes 1
 
 
4.5% No 1

Remedies & Impact 

Approached court or commission

40.9% Yes 9
 
 
59.1% No 13

Approached security officials

36.4% Yes 8
 
 
59.1% No 13

Reason the family did not pursue any kind of action

40.9% Afraid of retaliation 9
 
18.2% Believed it would have been ineffective 4
 
4.5% Didn’t know what to do 1
 
4.5% Couldn’t afford 1
 

Remedies desired from government

54.5% Public acknowledgement of wrongful deaths 12
 
50.0% Criminal sanctions against those responsible 11
 
50.0% Truth commission 11
 
40.9% Investigations into abuses 9
 
40.9% Memorial for victims 9
 
31.8% Monetary compensation to family 7
 
31.8% Employment 7
 
18.2% Rehabilitation services to family members 4
 
9.1% Desire nothing from government 2
 
4.5% Other 1
 

Year & District 

District

36.4% Amritsar 8
 
9.1% Gurdaspur 2
 
18.2% Hoshiarpur 4
 
27.3% Jalandhar 6
 
4.5% Kapurthala 1
 
4.5% Nawanshahr 1
 

Year

0.0% 1981 0
 
0.0% 1982 0
 
0.0% 1983 0
 
0.0% 1984 0
 
0.0% 1985 0
 
18.2% 1986 4
 
27.3% 1987 6
 
18.2% 1988 4
 
22.7% 1989 5
 
0.0% 1990 0
 
9.1% 1991 2
 
4.5% 1992 1
 
0.0% 1993 0
 
0.0% 1994 0
 
0.0% 1995 0
 
0.0% 1996 0
 
0.0% 1997 0
 
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