Shaheed Bhai Amar Singh Talwandi

Babbar Khalsa

Bhai Amar Singh was born in the village of Talwandi Dasanda Singh, district Amritsar, in the house of Sardar Major Singh and from the womb of Mata Sawinder Kaur on 12th May 1965. Bhai Sahib completed his primary education at a local government middle school and finished his metric at government high school in the village of Chavandadevi. Bhai Sahib had 4 brothers and one sister, who were all high spirited Gursikhs. Bhai Sahib was in love with Sikhi and always recited Gurbani and wore the Khalsa Bana. After finishing studies Bhai Sahib started working as supervisor at a manufacturing company. It was during this time Bhai Sahib participated in Dharam Yudh Morcha and gave his arrest twice.

In June 1984 the government of India sent its army to destroy Sri Harimandir Sahib and kill innocent Sikhs pilgrims. This left a very big opened would on Bhai Sahib and he started meeting the local Jhujaru Singhs. It was under the commando of Bhai Sukhdev Singh Chabba, that Bhai Sahib did sewa in secret and at the same time worked at the factory to feed his family. Few times Bhai Sahib was caught by the police and brutally tortured, but Bhai Sahib continued to fight the oppression. In the end, the police never managed to get information on other Jhujaru Singhs and released him. Bhai Sahib was charged with murder twice, but due to no witnesses he was let free.

On 8th December 1992, in the morning at 4 o’clock the Majhita police followed the information they received from a taut and raided Bhai Sahib’s house. Fortunately Bhai Sahib was not at home at that time. The police then arrested Bhai Sahib’s older brother, Bhai Harjinder Singh Talwandi who was the president of All Indian Sikh Student Federation unit in his area and the younger brother, Bhai Balwinder Singh who were both brutally tortured in police custody. That day the same police party arrested another of Bhai Sahib’s brother, Bhai Balbir Singh, he was tortured for 10 days. After that the police dumped Bhai Balbir Singh near a riverside, his leg and an arm was broken during torture. A local shepherd spotted Bhai Balbir Singh, who was in immense pain and took him home. Bhai Balbir Singh spent 2 months in hospital after which he didn’t fully recover and 2 years later Bhai Balbir Singh passed away due to the injuries he received from the Punjab police.

Meanwhile back to 8th December 1992, the Majhita police was trying everything to capture Bhai Sahib. Later that day the police arrested Bhai Sahib as he was travelling on a bus near Verka Nerio. During interrogation, when Bhai Sahib was asked questions he continued to recite Gurbani and did not answer the enemy. In the end on 17th December 1992, Bhai Sahib attained shaheedi during torture at the hands of Punjab police.

Before the family of Bhai Sahib could knock the door of the Judicial Court to get more information on Bhai Sahib, the Punjab police came to the family house with the warrant stating that Bhai Sahib is on a run and ordering the police to present Bhai Sahib to the police or they will confiscate the farms of Bhai Sahib. Since 1994 the mother of Bhai Sahib, Mata Sawinder Kaur has been paralysed waist below. No matter how many challenges this family faces, the whole family are still in touch with their Sikhi and the Khalsa Bana

Khalsa Fatehnama – April 2014