Assassination of Indira Gandhi

Assassination of Indira Gandhi
The spot where Gandhi was shot down is marked by a glass opening in the crystal pathway at the Indira Gandhi Memorial
LocationPrime Minister residence, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi
Date31 October 1984
9:30 a.m.
Attack type
Assassination
Weapons.38 (9.1 mm) revolver and Sterling submachine gun
VictimIndira Gandhi
AssailantsSatwant Singh and Beant Singh
Memorial at the place of assassination, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi

Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated at 9:30 a.m. on 31 October 1984 at her residence in Safdarjung Road, New Delhi. She was killed by her Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star by the Indian Army between 1 and 8 June 1984 on the orders of Gandhi. The military operation was to remove Sikh militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and other Sikh separatists from the Golden Temple of Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab, the holiest site of Sikhism. The military action resulted in the death of many pilgrims as well as damage to the Akal Takht and the destruction of the Sikh Reference Library.

Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards led to the 1984 Sikh massacres which were instigated by political figures from the Indian National Congress, who orchestrated pogroms against Sikh populations throughout India. Four days of mob violence resulted in the destruction of 40 historic Gurdwaras and other important Sikh holy sites. Official Indian government figures put the death toll at 3,350 while other sources have quoted that between 8,000 to 16,000 Sikhs were killed.


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