The following is a list of chronological actions attributed to Khalistan Commando Force. (KCF) Actions include killings, assassinations, bank robberies, battles, and encounters.
Khalistan Commando Force was founded by the Sarbat Khalsa and Panthic Committee. It was the "official" army of Khalistan. Manbir Singh Chaheru was made the leader in February 1986. It was most active in the Punjab Insurgency being one of the strongest and most coordinated militant groups. Later on, KCF will break into factions.
1980s
1986 Date Action and details Location Result SourcesMarch 6KCF members led by Chaheru opened fire on the convoy of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jarnail Singh Brar, and Kabul Singh, acting president of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Brar was said to be the target with Kabul being in the crossfire.Kapurthala, Punjab7 killed and 13 wounded. Kabul Singh seriously wounded.March 7KCF members led by Chaheru burned the home of police Inspector Jaskirit Singh.Kassochal, PunjabHouse burned downMarch 26KCF members attacked and killed Arjan Singh Mastana an MLA and leader of Communist Party of India with his bodyguard. Mastana had created a militia to fight KCF.Amritsar, PunjabMLA killed with 1 bodyguard.March 29KCF members were accused of opening fire at a barber shop. Cutting hair is forbidden in the Sikh faith.Nakodhar, Punjab12 killedApril 6Chaheru and 2 other KCF members attacked Jalandhar district court and broke free Labh Singh, Sawarnjit Singh, and Gurinder Singh Bhola who were appearing in court for murder charges. The attack was long planned by Chaheru. He would meet Labh Singh daily and had promised to break him free. Chaheru had a stengun while the other militants had revolvers. Chaheru signaled for Labh and co to go to the bathroom as they exited the court. Then the militants attacked and killed 4 officers at the steps of the court. They broke free Labh Singh and co then killed 2 officers at the gate before fleeing. This single incident became a basis of Riberio's "Bullet for bullet" policy.Jalandhar, Punjab3 militants broken free. 6 officers killed. 4 others wounded.April 102 KCF members hijacked a train and killed 5 police officers.Punjab5 officers killed.MayHarjind Singh Jinda, Labh Singh, and other KCF members robbed a bank in Jalandhar of 1,250,000 rupees. (US$250,000)Jalandhar, Punjab1,250,000 rupees. (US$250,000) robbed.Asi Attwadi Nahi by Jinda SukhaJuly 15Chaheru attacked Kapurthala Jail breaking out 2 "hardcore" militants which killed 2 prison guards. Chaheru also stole the guns of the dead officers.Kapurthala, Punjab2 militants broken free. 2 officers killed and their weapons stolen.August 10In 1984, General Arun Vaidya had planned and supervised Operation Blue Star – a controversial military operation ordered by Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, in order to flush out a group of heavily armed Sikh militants in June 1984 at the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs. General Vaidya had moved to Pune after his retirement from the army. On 10 August 1986, General Arun Vaidya was shot and killed by Jinda and Sukha while he was driving his car home from the market. According to the police, the assailants pulled up next to his car on motor scooters and fired eight or nine shots into the car. Vaidya reportedly died instantly of head and neck wounds. His wife, who was also in the car, was wounded by four bullets in her back and thighs. According to Indian intelligence sources, Vaidya had been the number four assassination target on lists by Sikh militants and he was one of several people killed in retaliation for Operation Blue Star. Following the assassination, the Khalistan Commando Force issued a statement declaring that Vaidya had been killed in retaliation for the Operation Blue Star.Pune, MaharashtraFormer Chief of Army Staff Vaidya killed."The Vaidya Murder Case: Confirming Death Sentences", India Abroad. (New York edition). New York, N.Y.: 24 July 1992. Vol.XXII, Issue. 43; pg.20.Sun-Times Wires. "Sikhs kill ex-army chief, massacre revenge hinted", Chicago Sun-Times, 11 August 1986.Associated Press. "General cremated; Sikhs admit to killing", c/o Houston Chronicle, 11 August 1986.Associated Press. "Shrine Leader Killed in Ambush", The Dallas Morning News, 11 August 1986.Weisman, Steven R. "A Top Indian General is Assassinated", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11 August 1986.August 28Manbir Singh Chaheru was arrested on 8 August 1986. Manbir Singh would later be executed in an extrajudicial killing by police. Manbir was the first head of KCF. Replacing him was Labh Singh. Sarbjit Singh Ropar who was responsible for Manbir Singh's arrest and the acting chairperson for a faction of All India Sikh Student Federation was kidnapped by KCF on August 28. He was interrogated by Labh Singh and revealed his hand in the arrest and his fathers who was a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). He also revealed his hand in the arrests of Tarsem Singh Kohar and Waryam Singh. He was soon executed by Labh Singh along with Hardeep Sahota, and Hans Raj Ghuman. Hardeep and Hans were also involved in the arrest of multiple militants and Manbir Singh.PunjabAISSF chairperson killed with 2 others.September6 KCF members under Labh Singh robbed a bank in Talwara. The bank manager was killed and 29,000 rupees (386,000 rupees in 2023. US$4,700 in 2023) was stolenTalwara, PunjabBank manager was killed and 29,000 rupees robbed.September 1KCF members assassinated Additional District and Sessions Judge R.P. Gaind. He was shot 4 times dead in a store while on the phone. His wife and daughter watched the killing. He had been receiving death threats over his verdict on a case prating to Sodhal Mandir in Jalandhar. A room of it was used by Sikhs for worship. Sikhs demanded the room that was used for Sikh worship become a Gurdwara.Jalandhar, PunjabJudge killedSeptember 25KCF killed Darshan Singh Canadian an MLA and party leader of the Communist Party of India. Darshan Singh opposed Sikh militants and Khalistan supporting NRI Sikhs. He actively campaigned against both.Hoshiarpur, PunjabMLA and CPI leader killedSeptember 26KCF members killed Baldev Singh Mann. He was a left-wing activist of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) New Democracy. He was a state level leader of Kirti Kisan Union and the editor of Hirawal Dasta. Baldev was gunned down by 4 men in his home village near Amritsar. He was walking with his brother who escaped unhurt.Amritsar, Punjab1 Communist leader killed.September 29KCF members looted a bank and killed the bank manager.Tarn Taran, PunjabBank manager killed and bank looted.September 30KCF members managed to take down the Punjab Police wireless system across the entire state for half an hour.PunjabPolice wireless system down for 30 minutes.OctoberKCF member robbed 1,023,000 rupees (US$250,000) from a bank in Ludhiana.Ludhiana, Punjab1,023,000 rupees (US$250,000) robbed.OctoberKCF robbed 800,000 rupees from the Millar Ganj branch of the Punjab National Bank, Ludhiana.Ludhiana, Punjab800,000 rupees (US$130,000) robbed.October 3On 3 October 1986, 6 men identified in the press as Sikh militants in police uniforms attacked Director General of Punjab Police Julio Francis Ribeiro inside his Punjab Armed Police headquarters in the city of Jalandhar, with automatic weapons. According to Ribeiro he was strolling with his wife when Sikh militants in a jeep disguised as a police one asked to inspect a guards gun. The guards gave the gun for inspection. Soon 3 Sikh began climbing the wall and sprayed fire. After 2 minutes of fire they fled. Throughout all of this no officer returned fire or attempted to chase the Sikh. One guard was killed, and Ribeiro, his wife, and four other officers were injured. Ribeiro's wound was minor, but his wife was hospitalized. KCF leader Labh Singh led the attack.Jalandhar, Punjab1 police officer killed. DGP RIberio and his wife were wounded. 4 other officer wounded.October 30Labh Singh personally led a bank robbery in Talwara at the State Bank of India. According to police 4 Sikhs robbed the bank and 2 people were killed and another 2 wounded. The robbery occurred in broad daylight. 2,000,000 rupees were stolen. ( About US$488,000 in 2023)Talwara, Punjab2 killed and 2 wounded. 2,000,000 rupees were stolen. (US$488,000)NovemberKCF members killed Congress leader Doctor Kalicharan Sharma in Ludhiana. He was a major leader of Hindus. Sharma had been a critic of the Punjabi Suba movement, and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.Ludhiana, Punjab1 political leader killed.November 20KCF claimed responsibility for an attack on a Police patrol killing 4 officers,Amritsar, Punjab4 Punjab Police officers killed.DecemberKCF members led by Labh Singh killed DSP Rashpal Singh in his home along with his son as they both slept. After killing him they stole his stengun. The DSP had been accused of harassing Sikhs and families of militants.Ludhiana, Punjab1 Deputy Superintendent of Police killed with his son.
1987