2017-10-31 Tue

The 3rd Prime Minister of India, Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi was assassinated today, on 31st October 1984 in New Delhi.

It was the morning of 31st October, our Prime Minister known for her ferocious power and potential for administrating the biggest democracy in the world was going to be interviewed by a British actor Peter Ustinov at New Delhi. On that morning, Mrs Gandhi was walking through the lawn of Prime Minister’s Residence and as she passed the wicket gate, she was shot by her two bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Sing.

This event took place after the Operation Blue star- it was a mission of Indian Army to assault the militant in the Golden Temple, Amritsar. The mission was focused on eliminating Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his follower who sought cover in Harmandir Sahib Compound. The state of Punjab was in the state of distress, political and social climate was tense. This mission harmed the temple building and sentiments of Sikh community. It is a popular belief that this event resulted in the assassination of Indira Gandhi as an act of vengeance.

Her guards shot thirty-three bullets through two sources but only thirty bullets hit her, from which 23 bullets passed through her body and seven trapped was inside her. She was taken to All India Institution of Medical Science (ALLMS-New Delhi). She was declared dead by the team of Dr Tirath Das Dogra at 2.20 pm (same day).

On the Evening of 31st October, Salma Sultan gave the first news of the assassination of Indira Gandhi on Doordarshan. On 3rd November she was cremated in Shakti Sthal by her elder son Rajiv Gandhi. This was not the end, a chain of bloodshed started and for over four days, thousands of Sikhs were killed in retaliatory violence.

Indira Gandhi was a national figure and was commemorated on various stamps.The Government of India also issued a commemorative cointo celebrate her life and work.

The above-shown commemorative stamp was issued by India Post in 1984, to remember this first female Prime Minister of India .

To know more about Indira Gandhi click here.