AMBALA (SATISH HANDA): Ambala central jail is famous due to 29 hangings of hard core criminals including killers since after the independence in1947. Nathu Ram Godse shot dead Mahatma Gandhi was the first hanged in historic Ambala central jail in 1949, whereas last hanging in this jail was held in 1989 in which Gulab Singh of Karnal was hanged till death in the jail and since after this  there is no killer (Jallad) appointed by the government in this jail. Information reveals, as many as 27 hard core criminals sentenced hanging by the courts lodged in different jails in the state were shifted to Ambala central jail and later their sentence was changed to life imprisonment by the courts.

Among those 29 accused sentenced hanging at Ambala central jail include Nathu Ram Godse shot dead Mahatma Gandhi  and Narayan D Apte both were hanged on 15^th November 1949, Joginder Singh hanged on 2^nd August 1950,  Raja hanged on 25^th January 1953, Girja Singh hanged on 31^st January 1953, Ajit Singh hanged on 4th July1953, Mukhtiar Singh hanged on  14^th May1955, Krishan lal hanged on 17^th December 1955, Karma hanged on 9^th July 1962,  Jagir Singh hanged on 23^rd April 1963, Deep Chand hanged on 17^th December 1964, Gurbachan hanged on  3^rd August 1967, three accused Mukhtiar Singh Gurdeep Singh and  Hazoor Singh were hanged on  14^th September 1967, Krishan Singh hanged on 21^st September 1967, Joginder Singh hanged on 7^th March 1968, three accused Gurbux Singh Maan Singh and Darshan Singh hanged on 17^th April 1968, Rulda hanged on 2^nd July 1970, Surjan Singh hanged on  29^th December 1970, Both Sucha Singh prime accused in murder of third chief minister of Punjab Partap Singh Kairon and Baldev Singh hanged on 30^th October 1972, both Kewal Singh and Ratan Singh  hanged on 6^th March 1974,  Giani Ram hanged on 14^th September 1974, Rajni hanged on 15^th October 1974 and Gulab Singh hanged on 28^th June 1989.

According to available record, out of total number of 27 accused lodged in Ambala central jail whose sentence was changed to life imprisonment by the courts were Rakesh and Abdul Khali  on 13^th August 2002, the sentence of three accused Brahamjot, Jai Parkash Singh and Parmod was also changed to life imprisonment on 28^th August 2004,  Similarly death sentence of Sonia daughter of a political leaders and her husband Sanjeev sentenced death by the court allegedly killing seven members of family for property was changed to life imprisonment on 1^st August 2004, Among others whose death sentence was changed to life imprisonment were Vijay on 28^th August 2004,  Balbir and Krishan on  13^th August 2005, Yoginder alias Pramod on 24^th August 2005, Anand Kindu on 13^th June 2008, Anil alias Neel on 6^th March 2009,  Inderjit and Naresh Shah on 13^th November 2009, seven others  Baru, Satish, Sube Singh, Suresh, Sajjan Singh, Gurdev and Rajinder on 30^th March 2010. Jai Ram alias Baba on 1^st December 2011 and Saleem and Shaukaeen on17th September  2014.