June 6 marks the anniversary of the 1984 Blue Star Operation, conducted to flush out Sikh militants from the iconic Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. Four months after the operation, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own
Four months after the Operation Blue Star, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh on October 31, 1984. Her assassination had created widespread tension in the country. (Photo: sikhmuseum.com)
The smoke blackened marble on the right hand side gives us an indication of the fire which engulfed the Darshani Deori which housed priceless artifacts of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. (Photo: sikhmuseum.com)
Cloud of smoke from a large fire blacken the facade of the Sikh Reference Library along with an explosion. (Photo: Sikhmuseum.com)
Numerous bullet holes cover the building to the side of the Akal Takht that supports the Miri and Piri flagposts. (Photo: sikhmuseum.com)
Senior Indian Army officials tour Darbar Sahib after the battle amidst the almost knee-high debris. (Photo:sikhmuseum.com)
Punjab faced a complete shutdown as the Army and para-military patrolled the entire area, in a bid to crackdown on Bhindranwale. After a fierce battle, the Indian Army gained control over the Golden Temple complex on June 7, 1984. The Darshani Deori
In this photograph, cloud of smoke is seen rising from an explosion behind the Manji Sahib Diwan Hall. 300 bullet holes were found in the gold panels and marble of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib after the attack. (Photo: Sikhmuseum.com)
The main motive of Operation Blue Star was to eliminate Bhindranwale, who were a supporter of the creation of Khalistan. He along with other Sikh militants was hiding inside the Golden Temple. The intricate decorative marble inlay, plaster and
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was the leader of the Damdami Taksal, had a huge influence on the Sikh youth in Punjab during that time. Bhindranwale and his accomplices had occupied the Akal Takht of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. In photo,
The movement began in early 1940s, however it gained momentum in the 1970s and 80s. In image, frescoes of the Sikh Gurus as seen inside the original Akal Takht, which are now lost following the army operation in the Golden Temple (Photo:sikhmuseum.
The Khalistan movement was one of the main reasons for Operation Blue Star. The Khalistan movement was a political Sikh national movement that wanted an independent state for Sikh people. In image, damage caused by the collapse of large parts of the