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Stockton mayor, city council officially proclaim Feb 4 as Saka Nakodar Day
The proclamation, presented in the presence of Stockton mayor Christina Fugazi, honours the memory of the victims killed while participating in a peaceful protest
The mayor and city council of Stockton, California, on Wednesday officially proclaimed February 4, 2026, as “Saka Nakodar Day”, recognising the 40th anniversary of the killing of four unarmed Sikh students in Nakodar, Punjab, in 1986.
The proclamation, presented in the presence of mayor Christina Fugazi, honours the memory of the victims killed while participating in a peaceful protest.
On February 4, 1986, four youngsters — Ravinder Singh Littran, Harminder Singh, Baldhir Singh and Jhilman Singh — were shot dead reportedly by the police during protests against sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in Nakodar, Jalandhar. Baldev Singh, father of Ravinder, had reportedly identified the bodies in the civil hospital of Nakodar. There were allegations that the bodies were cremated by security forces before the families could collect them, and that justice eludes the families even after 40 years.
Accepting the proclamation, Dr Harinder Singh, a Sikh activist, said Saka Nakodar Day, observed annually, served as a time for remembrance, reflection and education.
“The City of Stockton’s recognition affirms its longstanding connection to Sikh history and its continued commitment to civil liberties, peaceful assembly and human dignity,” said Singh.
He added that it also underscored Stockton’s historic role as a cornerstone of Sikh-American life, home to the first Sikh gurdwara in the United States, established in 1912 by early Sikh immigrants and Ghadar (Gadri) Babas.
Sikh leaders, community advocates and representatives of the Jakara Movement attended the proclamation ceremony.
Two years ago, in June 2024, the California state assembly had passed a resolution unanimously to recognise February 4 as Saka Nakodar Day annually in the state.
