On October 31, 1984 morning, Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was on her way to be interviewed by the British actor Peter Ustinov, who was filming a documentary for Irish television. She was walking through the garden of her official residence at 1, Safdarjung Road in New Delhi .
As she passed a wicket gate guarded by Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, the former a Delhi Armed Police constable and the latter a Delhi Police sub-inspector, they opened fire.
Sub-Inspector Beant Singh fired three rounds into her from his sidearm, and Satwant Singh then fired 30 rounds from his sten gun into her prostrate body. The assassination triggered off widespread violence against the Sikh community, in which nearly 5,000 Sikhs were killed.