Jaswant Singh Khalra (1952–1995) was a Sikh human rights activist known for exposing extrajudicial killings in Punjab. During the militancy period in Punjab, Khalra uncovered that the Punjab police had illegally detained, killed, and cremated over 25,000 unidentified individuals, including approximately 2,000 police officers who refused to cooperate. His investigation was based on municipal records and led to the identification of thousands of victims.
On 6 September 1995, Khalra was abducted while washing his car in Amritsar and was never seen again. Witnesses implicated the Punjab police, and in 1996, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) found evidence of his illegal detention at Tarn Taran police station. The Supreme Court and the National Human Rights Commission later confirmed the validity of Khalra’s findings.
In 2005, six Punjab police officials were convicted of his abduction and murder. In 2007, their sentences were extended to life imprisonment. The Supreme Court upheld these sentences in 2011, condemning the police's actions. Khalra's wife, Paramjit Kaur Khalra, continues his activism. His legacy remains significant in the fight for human rights and justice for the families of Punjab's disappeared persons.