Harmeet Singh (militant)

Harmeet Singh (September 24, 1981 – January 27, 2020) also known as PhD or Happy was the 8th chief of Khalistan Liberation Force.

Harmeet Singh was born on September 24, 1981, in Chheharta, Amritsar.

Harmeet topped Master of Arts in religious studies and in psychology from Punjabi University, Patiala.

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots was a series of organised pogroms against Sikhs in India following the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.

Government estimates project that about 2,800 Sikhs were killed in Delhi and 3,350 nationwide, whilst independent sources estimate the number of deaths at about 8,000–17,000.

In May 2007, Ram Rahim was accused of hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by wearing in an advertisement attire resembling the tenth and final living Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, by using a turban with a kalgi (egret feather).

Sikh militant groups began multiple attacks against Ram Rahim for this.

Harmeet worked as a Junior Research Fellow in religious studies at Guru Nanak Dev University in 2008.

He made 12,000 rupees a month.

He was also pursuing a PhD.

Harmeet began associating himself with militants and became close with Khalistan Liberation Force chief Harminder Singh Nihang.

On February 2, 2008, Harmeet and other Khalistan Liberation Force members launched an attack on the head of Dera Sacha Sauda Ram Rahim.

Ram Rahim escaped unhurt, but 11 followers were injured with 2 seriously injured.

On November 5, 2008, an FIR named Harmeet as receiving weapons, and ammunition to kill Ram Rahim.

3 men believed to be connected to Harmeet were arrested with 5 AK-56, 11 pistols, 900 cartridges, 2.5 million fake rupees and 25-kg heroin.

On November 5, 2008, Harmeet left home.

The next day a police team raided Harmeet's home.

On July 28, 2009, KLF assassinated Rashtriya Sikh Sangat (A wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) President Rulda Singh.

He would die in August of the same year.

The same day KLF assassinated Dera Sacha Sauda, Srisa Manager Lilly Kumar in Ludhiana.

Kumar was shot by 4 KLF members on motorcycles.

Kumar was involved in clashes with Sikh.

On October 31, 2009, KLF assassinated 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots main accused Dr. Budh Parkash Kashyap on the 25th year anniversary of the riots.

A masked man entered Kashyap's clinic and stabbed him twice in the head and chest.

Kahsyap was checking a patient when he was attacked.

Soni had been on the hit-list of militants since 2012 when he was accused of assaulting Sikh youth.

On November 7, 2014, Harminder Singh Nihang, KLF chief, was arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.

Harmeet took over as acting chief of KLF in his place.

Harmeet next masterminded targeted killing of Dera Sacha Sauda, RSS, and Shiv Sena members and leaders.

Harmeet recruited Hardeep Singh Shera and Ramandeep Singh Bagga to carry out the killings.

They were trained by Harmeet, and after each killing would flee the country.

On April 13, 2015, KLF shot Shiv Sena Punjab secretary Harvinder Soni in the stomach at 8:30 am in Fish Park.

Soni managed to survive the attack.

In July 2015 Khalistan Liberation Force mailed letters to seven Shiv Sena leaders including Sanjeev Ghanauli, Rajeev Tandon, Rakesh Arora, Amit Arora, Rubal Sandhu, Sachin Ghanauli and Rajesh Palta that gave a last warning for them to leave Punjab.

On August 3, 2015, president of the Punjab wing of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Suraksha Samiti, Manish Sood, was killed.

He was shot dead by his guard.

Hindu leaders claimed KLF paid the guard to kill Sood.

They claimed Sood had been receiving death threats from KLF after he attempted to attack Jagtar Singh Hawara while Hawara was heading to court.

Sood had previously pulled down posters showing Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

Police denied KLF being involved.