With Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj now streaming on ZEE5, audiences are revisiting the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, the human rights activist whose work inspired the film. Directed by Honey Trehan, the project was previously titled Punjab '95 and is based on real events from one of Punjab's most turbulent periods.
From Banker to Human Rights Activist
Born in 1952 in Khalra village in Punjab's Amritsar district, Jaswant Singh Khalra began his professional life as a bank employee. Over time, he became actively involved in human rights advocacy after growing concerned about reports of people who had allegedly disappeared during the militancy years in Punjab.
His determination in getting answers led him to become one of the most recognised human rights campaigners in the state.
The Investigation That Drew National Attention
As families searched for missing relatives, Khalra started gathering information and examining official records. During his research, he reportedly discovered municipal documents that allegedly recorded thousands of unidentified cremations carried out without informing the victims' families.
His results created national and international interest in the allegations and placed him at the centre of a significant human rights controversy.
His Disappearance and the Legal Proceedings
Jaswant Singh Khalra himself would vanish in suspicious circumstances in 1995. The CBI investigations eventually determined that he had been kidnapped and held by the Punjab police.
The case continued through the courts for the next few years. In 2007, the Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld the more severe punishment by awarding life imprisonment to four former police officials convicted in connection with his kidnapping and murder.
A Legacy That Lives On
Jaswant Singh Khalra is remembered as a symbol of courage and justice. He is survived by his wife, Paramjit Kaur Khalra, and their children, Navkiran Kaur and Janmeet Singh. Through Satluj, a new generation of viewers is being introduced to the story of a man whose pursuit of truth left a lasting mark on India's human rights history.
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