The removal of Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj from ZEE5 just days after its release has reignited debate over KPS Gill, the polarising cop who is revered by some and strongly opposed by others.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleThe removal of Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj from ZEE5 just days after its release has reignited debate over one of the most polarising figures in India's modern history, i.e., former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP), Kanwar Pal Singh (KPS) Gill.
Previously titled Punjab 95, the film is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and revisits one of Punjab's darkest chapters during the militancy era. Directed by Honey Tehran and produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP Movies, Satluj brings to life the heinous tale of the Punjabi human Rights activist, Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed illegal cremations and extrajudicial killings in Punjab during the 1980s and 90s.
The film, which was originally slated for a premiere in 2023 at the Toronto International Film Festival, was finally released on ZEE5 this month, only to be taken down two days later. The controversy has brought renewed attention to KPS Gill because the film depicts the period surrounding Khalra's 1995 abduction after he documented alleged illegal cremations carried out during Punjab's counter-insurgency operations. Veteran actor Kanwaljit Singh portrays Gill, whose legacy continues to divide opinion nearly a decade after his death.
Gill was born in Ludhiana on December 29, 1934. He graduated from Panjab University and joined the Indian Police Service in 1958. He started his career in the Assam-Meghalaya cadre before becoming one of India’s most recognizable police officers during the fight against militancy in Punjab.
Gill first gained national prominence in Assam, where his policing methods during the Assam Agitation drew criticism after protesters accused him of ordering a lathi charge that led to the death of student leader Khargeshwar Talukdar in 1979.
However, it wasn't until his involvement during Punjab's battle against the Khalistani insurgency that Gill got his reputation as a 'Supercop.' In 1988, he was appointed Punjab DGP and again in 1991, during which he oversaw aggressive counter-insurgency operations that supporters largely credit with ending years of militant violence.
One of the defining moments of his career came during the famous Operation Black Thunder II in 1988. During that operation, security forces cleared militants from the Golden Temple through a prolonged siege that avoided the large-scale destruction seen during Operation Blue Star.
By the mid-1990s, the violence had sharply declined and eventually earned Gill widespread praise as the officer who restored normalcy to Punjab. Despite being a beloved police officer during that time, he remained a polarising figure down the line.
Although he was never charged or convicted in Jaswant Singh Khalra's murder and repeatedly denied any involvement, his leadership of the Punjab Police during that period has remained the subject of intense public debate. The discussions surrounding Gill's role in Punjab's history have only intensified over the past year due to censorship issues of Punjab '95 (now Satluj).
While many hailed him for defeating militancy, critics argue that victory came at a high cost. The accusations mainly stemmed from human rights organisations that accused the Punjab Police under Gill's leadership of fake encounters, custodial killings, enforced disappearances, and illegal cremations during the anti-terror campaign. Gill, however, consistently defended the force, arguing that extraordinary circumstances required extraordinary measures.
While several controversies surrounding KPS Gill gradually faded from public attention, the case of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra remained the most enduring. Khalra exposed the alleged secret cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies before he was abducted outside his Amritsar home on September 6, 1995.
Inspired by Khalra's life, Satluj (formerly Punjab 95) chronicles his fight for justice on behalf of nearly 25,000 people who had allegedly disappeared, and the ultimate sacrifice he made in pursuing accountability. A CBI investigation later concluded that he had been illegally detained and murdered, although his body was never recovered.
Six Punjab Police officials were convicted in the case. Gill was never chargesheeted or convicted and repeatedly denied allegations linking him to Khalra's disappearance. However, he received continued accusations from activists and eyewitnesses.
The controversies did not end even after his retirement. KPS Gill retired as Punjab DGP in December 1995 after being given several extensions in service. In the following year, he was convicted of sexually harassing a senior IAS officer, Rupan Deol Bajaj, at an official function, a case which greatly tarnished his public image.
Later, he founded the Institute of Conflict Management, served as president of the Indian Hockey Federation, and remained an influential voice on national security until he died in 2017.
The current Satluj debate has revived the old debates on Punjab's militancy years, balancing the state's return to peace with allegations of human rights abuses. Supporters still recall KPS Gill as the 'Supercop' who decimated one of the deadliest insurgencies in India. But critics say his legacy cannot be divorced from the allegations of excesses in the course of that campaign.
As debates over Satluj and Punjab 95 continue, Gill remains one of the most contested figures in Indian policing, celebrated by some as the man who restored order and condemned by others as the face of a deeply controversial era.
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