# Canonical recap data for Indira Gandhi's Assassination (1984)
# Source: https://recap.at/1984/indira-gandhi-assassination
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: indira-gandhi-assassination
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1984/indira-gandhi-assassination"
title: Indira Gandhi's Assassination
aliases:
- Operation Blue Star retaliation
- 31 October 1984
- Indira Gandhi assassination
- Safdarjung Road shooting
subtitle: Indira Gandhi's Assassination
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1984-10-31
datePrecision: day
year: 1984
decade: 1980
country:
name: India
slug: india
summaryShort: "Indira Gandhi, Indian prime minister, was assassinated at 9:30 AM on 31 October 1984 at her residence in Safdarjung Road, New Delhi by her two bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, after the Indian Armed Forces carried out Operation Blue Star between 1 and 8 June 1984 on Gandhi's orders. The military operation was"
summaryLong: "Indira Gandhi, Indian prime minister, was assassinated at 9:30 AM on 31 October 1984 at her residence in Safdarjung Road, New Delhi by her two bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, after the Indian Armed Forces carried out Operation Blue Star between 1 and 8 June 1984 on Gandhi's orders. The military operation was to remove Sikh militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and other Sikh separatists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the holiest site of Sikhism. The operation resulted in the death of many pilgrims as well as damage to the Akal Takht and the destruction of the Sikh Reference Library."
lede: India's Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was shot and killed by two of her own bodyguards on October 31, 1984, in retaliation for Operation Blue Star-a military assault on the Golden Temple in Amritsar that she had ordered four months earlier. Her death triggered massive communal violence and marked a turning point in Indian politics and religious tensions.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/PathOfMartyrdom.JPG/1280px-PathOfMartyrdom.JPG"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Assassination of Indira Gandhi"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Time of death
  value: "9:30 AM"
- label: Date
  value: 31 October 1984
- label: Location
  value: Safdarjung Road, New Delhi
- label: Assassins
  value: Satwant Singh and Beant Singh (personal bodyguards)
- label: Preceding military operation
  value: Operation Blue Star (1–8 June 1984)
- label: Operation Blue Star target
  value: Golden Temple complex, Amritsar
- label: Estimated deaths in subsequent Delhi riots
  value: 2,700+
- label: Gandhi's tenure as PM
  value: 1966–1977, 1980–1984
timeline:
- date: 1984-06-01
  title: Operation Blue Star begins
  description: Indian Armed Forces launch military assault on the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Gandhi's orders, targeting separatist militants. The operation lasts until June 8 and causes significant damage to the temple complex.
- date: 1984-06-08
  title: Operation Blue Star concludes
  description: Military forces withdraw from the Golden Temple after a week-long operation. Casualty figures disputed; estimates range from hundreds to over 1,000 killed.
- date: 1984-10-31
  title: Indira Gandhi assassinated
  description: "Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is shot at 9:30 AM at her residence on Safdarjung Road by bodyguards Satwant Singh and Beant Singh. She dies en route to hospital. Both assassins are arrested at the scene."
- date: 1984-11-01
  title: Anti-Sikh riots erupt in Delhi
  description: Large-scale communal violence breaks out across New Delhi targeting Sikh residents and businesses. Mobs attack homes, shops, and gurdwaras; police accused of inaction and complicity.
- date: 1984-11-02
  title: Rajiv Gandhi sworn in as Prime Minister
  description: Indira Gandhi's son Rajiv Gandhi takes oath as Prime Minister, becoming India's youngest PM at age 40.
- date: 1984-11-03
  title: Delhi riots continue and peak
  description: Violence reaches its height across the capital. Official death toll eventually reported as 2,733, though independent estimates run higher. Thousands left homeless.
- date: 1984-11-04
  title: Army deployed, curfew imposed
  description: Indian military deployed to restore order. Curfew declared across affected areas of Delhi. Sporadic violence continues but gradually subsides.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Indira_Gandhi"
  title: Indira Gandhi's assassination
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: Gandhi's assassination exposed the fracture lines between India's secular state apparatus and its religious communities-particularly Sikhs, who saw the temple assault as sacrilege. The killing set off three days of anti-Sikh riots in Delhi that left over 2,700 dead and demonstrated how a single act of political violence could unravel communal stability across the nation.
categories:
- protest
taxonomy:
domain: political
eventTypes:
- assassination
- regime_change
canonicalClasses:
- conflict
- collapse
- transformation
impactRadius: national
velocity: sudden
predictability: black_swan
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: conflict
metaDescription: Indira Gandhi assassinated October 31, 1984 by bodyguards Satwant Singh and Beant Singh after Operation Blue Star.
wikidataQid: Q3347903
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260601135508/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Indira_Gandhi"
  capturedAt: 2026-06-01
  label: Indira Gandhi's assassination
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Indira_Gandhi"
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: India's population
  thenValue: 730 million
  thenYear: 1984
  nowValue: 1.4 billion
  nowYear: 2024
- metric: Indian GDP (nominal)
  thenValue: $200 billion
  thenYear: 1984
  nowValue: $3.7 trillion
  nowYear: 2024
- metric: Sikhs in India (estimated population)
  thenValue: 16 million
  thenYear: 1984
  nowValue: 30 million
  nowYear: 2024
- metric: Internet users in India
  thenValue: "0"
  thenYear: 1984
  nowValue: 700 million
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Commercial internet access began in India in 1995
consequences:
- title: Anti-Sikh riots in Delhi
  year: 1984
  description: Between 31 October and 3 November 1984, over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in coordinated violence across New Delhi, with police accused of complicity and inaction
- title: Rajiv Gandhi becomes Prime Minister
  year: 1984
  description: Indira Gandhi's son Rajiv Gandhi, age 40, is sworn in as PM on 31 October 1984, hours after her death, making him India's youngest PM
- title: 1984 Indian general election
  year: 1984
  description: Congress party wins landslide victory with 415 of 508 seats in December 1984 elections, largely sympathy votes following Gandhi's assassination
- title: Sikh separatism escalates
  year: 1985
  description: Air India Flight 182 bombing on 23 June 1985 kills 329 people, deadliest aviation incident with Sikh separatists linked to retaliatory campaign
- title: Bhaindranwale's legacy solidifies
  year: 1989
  description: Sant Jarnail Singh Bhaindranwale, killed during Operation Blue Star in June 1984, becomes venerated martyr figure in Sikh nationalism; his memory fuels Punjab militancy through the 1990s
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Like a Virgin
  artist: Madonna
  year: 1984
  note: Released November 1984, dominated global charts while Indian news cycles focused on political upheaval
- title: When Doves Cry
  artist: Prince
  year: 1984
- title: Footloose
  artist: Kenny Loggins
  year: 1984
topFilms:
- title: Amadeus
  year: 1984
  note: Released in December 1984; Milos Forman's Mozart biopic won Best Picture in 1985
- title: The Killing Fields
  year: 1984
- title: The Terminator
  year: 1984
topTVShows:
- title: The Cosby Show
  year: 1984
  note: Premiered September 1984 in the US; became ratings juggernaut
- title: Miami Vice
  year: 1984
  note: Premiered September 1984, defined the decade's aesthetic
zeitgeistNote: 1984 was defined by Reagan's landslide re-election, Orwell's dystopian novel experiencing renewed attention, and the Cold War's continued intensity. In India specifically, Operation Blue Star's June execution and Gandhi's October assassination dominated discourse, overshadowing global pop culture in the subcontinent.
relatedQueries:
- Operation Blue Star June 1984
- Satwant Singh Beant Singh bodyguards
- Indira Gandhi assassination October 31
- 1984 anti-Sikh riots Delhi
- Rajiv Gandhi Prime Minister
- Jarnail Singh Bhaindranwale
- Khalistan movement 1980s
- Air India Flight 182 bombing 1985
- Congress party 1984 election victory
- Punjab militancy post-Blue Star
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/PathOfMartyrdom.JPG/1280px-PathOfMartyrdom.JPG"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/PathOfMartyrdom.JPG/800px-PathOfMartyrdom.JPG"
  caption: Assassination of Indira Gandhi
  credit: Wikipedia · "Assassination of Indira Gandhi"
  width: 330
  height: 248
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/1984_Events_Collage.jpg/1280px-1984_Events_Collage.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/1984_Events_Collage.jpg/800px-1984_Events_Collage.jpg"
  caption: 1984 Events Collage
  credit: |-
    Agência Senado
    Jan Bockaert
    NASA
    Bhopal Medical Appeal
    U.S. Air Force
    Nick
    Tomoaki INABA
    Marcin Wichary
  width: 930
  height: 840
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Indira_Gandhi_Lying_in_State_at_Teen_Murti_House.jpg/1280px-Indira_Gandhi_Lying_in_State_at_Teen_Murti_House.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Indira_Gandhi_Lying_in_State_at_Teen_Murti_House.jpg/800px-Indira_Gandhi_Lying_in_State_at_Teen_Murti_House.jpg"
  caption: Indira Gandhi Lying in State at Teen Murti House
  credit: Jim Bourdier
  width: 1200
  height: 817
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/1984_Events_montage_16-grid_version.jpg/1280px-1984_Events_montage_16-grid_version.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/1984_Events_montage_16-grid_version.jpg/800px-1984_Events_montage_16-grid_version.jpg"
  caption: 1984 Events montage 16-grid version
  credit: From a variety of images credited above.
  width: 4096
  height: 3692
translations:
es:
lede: La Primera Ministra de India Indira Gandhi fue disparada y asesinada por dos de sus propios guardaespaldas el 31 de octubre de 1984, en represalia por la Operación Blue Star, un asalto militar al Templo Dorado en Amritsar que ella había ordenado cuatro meses antes. Su muerte desencadenó una violencia comunal masiva y marcó un punto de inflexión en la política india y las tensiones religiosas.
summaryShort: "Indira Gandhi, Primera Ministra de India, fue asesinada a las 9:30 AM el 31 de octubre de 1984 en su residencia en Safdarjung Road, Nueva Delhi por sus dos guardaespaldas, Satwant Singh y Beant Singh, después de que las Fuerzas Armadas Indias llevaran a cabo la Operación Blue Star entre el 1 y el 8 de junio de 1984 por órdenes de Gandhi. La operación militar fue"
summaryLong: "Indira Gandhi, Primera Ministra de India, fue asesinada a las 9:30 AM el 31 de octubre de 1984 en su residencia en Safdarjung Road, Nueva Delhi por sus dos guardaespaldas, Satwant Singh y Beant Singh, después de que las Fuerzas Armadas Indias llevaran a cabo la Operación Blue Star entre el 1 y el 8 de junio de 1984 por órdenes de Gandhi. La operación militar fue para remover al militante sij Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale y otros separatistas sij del Templo Dorado en Amritsar, el sitio más sagrado del sijismo. La operación resultó en la muerte de muchos peregrinos así como daños al Akal Takht y la destrucción de la Biblioteca de Referencia Sij."
generatedAt: "2026-06-08T19:59:24.811Z"
fr:
lede: La Première ministre indienne Indira Gandhi a été abattue et tuée par deux de ses propres gardes du corps le 31 octobre 1984, en représailles à l'opération Blue Star – un assaut militaire contre le Temple d'Or à Amritsar qu'elle avait ordonné quatre mois plus tôt. Sa mort a déclenché une violence communautaire massive et marqué un tournant dans la politique indienne et les tensions religieuses.
summaryShort: Indira Gandhi, première ministre indienne, a été assassinée à 9 h 30 le 31 octobre 1984 à sa résidence à Safdarjung Road, New Delhi par ses deux gardes du corps, Satwant Singh et Beant Singh, après que les forces armées indiennes aient mené l'opération Blue Star entre le 1er et le 8 juin 1984 sur les ordres de Gandhi. L'opération militaire était
summaryLong: Indira Gandhi, première ministre indienne, a été assassinée à 9 h 30 le 31 octobre 1984 à sa résidence à Safdarjung Road, New Delhi par ses deux gardes du corps, Satwant Singh et Beant Singh, après que les forces armées indiennes aient mené l'opération Blue Star entre le 1er et le 8 juin 1984 sur les ordres de Gandhi. L'opération militaire avait pour objectif d'éliminer le militant sikh Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale et autres séparatistes sikhs du Temple d'Or à Amritsar, le site le plus sacré du sikhisme. L'opération a entraîné la mort de nombreux pèlerins ainsi que des dommages à l'Akal Takht et la destruction de la Bibliothèque de référence sikh.
generatedAt: "2026-06-08T19:59:27.921Z"
de:
lede: Indira Gandhi, Premierministerin Indiens, wurde am 31. Oktober 1984 von zwei ihrer eigenen Leibwächter erschossen und getötet, um sich für Operation Blue Star zu rächen – einen Militäreinsatz im Goldenen Tempel in Amritsar, den sie vier Monate zuvor befohlen hatte. Ihr Tod löste massive religiöse Gewalt aus und markierte einen Wendepunkt in der indischen Politik und religiösen Spannungen.
summaryShort: "Indira Gandhi, Premierministerin Indiens, wurde am 31. Oktober 1984 um 9:30 Uhr in ihrer Residenz in der Safdarjung Road, Neu-Delhi von ihren zwei Leibwächtern Satwant Singh und Beant Singh ermordet, nachdem die indischen Streitkräfte auf Gandhis Befehl zwischen dem 1. und 8. Juni 1984 die Operation Blue Star durchführten. Der Militäreinsatz war"
summaryLong: "Indira Gandhi, Premierministerin Indiens, wurde am 31. Oktober 1984 um 9:30 Uhr in ihrer Residenz in der Safdarjung Road, Neu-Delhi von ihren zwei Leibwächtern Satwant Singh und Beant Singh ermordet, nachdem die indischen Streitkräfte auf Gandhis Befehl zwischen dem 1. und 8. Juni 1984 die Operation Blue Star durchführten. Der Militäreinsatz sollte den Sikh-Militanten Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale und andere Sikh-Separatisten aus dem Goldenen Tempel in Amritsar, der heiligsten Stätte des Sikhismus, entfernen. Der Einsatz führte zum Tod vieler Pilger sowie zu Schäden am Akal Takht und zur Zerstörung der Sikh Reference Library."
generatedAt: "2026-06-08T19:59:31.677Z"
