Indira Gandhi assassination in New Delhi

On October 31, 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated at her residence in New Delhi. The attack was carried out by two members of her own security detail, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, who were part of the Sikh community.

The assassination was a direct retaliation for Operation Blue Star, a military action ordered by Gandhi in June 1984. The operation aimed to remove armed Sikh separatists, led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The military intervention resulted in significant damage to the holy site and hundreds of casualties, including militants, soldiers, and civilians, sparking widespread anger within the Sikh community.

Following the Prime Minister's death, organized violence erupted across India. In the three days following the assassination, particularly in New Delhi, mobs targeted Sikh homes and businesses. Official government reports later recorded approximately 2,800 Sikh deaths during the ensuing period of unrest.