Shaheed Bhai Anwar Singh Dhurput

Khalistan Liberation Force

Bhai Anwar Singh was born in the early years of 1970’s in the house of Sardar Nanak Singh and from the womb of Mata Dharam Kaur in the village of Kalas, near Khemkaran. Sardar Nanak Singh was father to ten children, Bibi Joginder Kaur, Bibi Parkash Kaur, Shaheed Bhai Sukhwinder Singh Shinda, Bhai Chanan Singh, Bhai Sarwan Singh, Bibi Salwinder Kaur, Shaheed Bhai Anwar Singh Dhurput, Bhai Major Singh, Bibi Mohinder Kaur and Bhai Satnam Singh. Sardar Nanak Singh fed his family with the earnings he got as a labourer. Bhai Sahib studied up to 5th class at the government school of Kalas, Khemkaran. Due to the family being poor, Bhai Sahib started doing work as a labourer too. Bhai Sahib worked for the local Jameendars, he was a hard worker. At this time Bhai Sahib was a sehajdhari Sikh. Physically Bhai Sahib was fit and active, due to this Bhai Sahib was a very good Kabbadi player. When the cultural events happened in the area Bhai Sahib would show his strength in wrestling and Kabbadi. Bhai Bohar Singh son of Sardar Kashmir Singh also played Kabbadi with Bhai Sahib and later he joined the Sikh Freedom Movement and attained Shaheedi.

During the time Bhai Sahib was a labourer, the Jhujaru Singhs were fully active in the Majha area. Bhai Sahib had great knowledge into why the Jhujaru Singhs were fighting the oppressing Indian Government. Bhai Sahib soon came in contact with Bhai Anar Singh Para and Bhai Pipal Singh Toofan, both from Khalistan Liberation Force. As Bhai Sahib was clearly witnessing the injustice on the Sikhs in his area, he left home and started to punish the enemies of the Sikh Panth under the command of Bhai Anar Singh Para. Bhai Sahib’s village was close to the border and this helped Bhai Sahib transport weapons from Pakistan to Punjab for Khalistan Liberation Force. Once joining the Sikh Freedom Movement, Bhai Sahib took Amrit from Panj Pyare and had become a Gursikh. As Bhai Sahib started to become more active in the Sikh Freedom Movement, the Punjab Police also started to harass Bhai Sahib’s family. On many occasions Bhai Sahib fought the CRPF and BSF head on, but after causing damage to the enemy, Bhai Sahib always escaped.

Once Bhai Sahib and his fellow Jhujaru Singhs were resting on the out skirts of Khemkaran, the BSF headquarters were nearby and the BSF jeeps were passing from where the Singhs were resting. Bhai Sahib along with fellow Jhujaru Singhs decided to attack the BSF convoy and teach the enemy a lesson. Soon as these Jhujaru Singhs attacked the convoy, BSF soldiers jumped out of their vehicles and an encounter started. This encounter lasted 3-4 hours. In this battle 2 Jhujaru Singhs attained Shaheedi, Bhai Kewal Singh Duhal Nau and Bhai Dalair Singh Mastgarh.

Then another time Bhai Sahib was with Bhai Anar Singh Para and another Jhujaru Singh in the village of Behika near Makhu, when the Indian security forces surrounded the area. Even here the sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj taught the enemy a good lesson and after causing havoc upon the Indian security forces all the Jhujaru Singhs escaped unharmed. Like this Bhai Sahib had many encounters with the Indian security forces and every time he escaped unharmed. Due to this the senior Singhs of Khalistan Liberation Force nicknamed Bhai Sahib, “Dhurput” meaning everwhere he went he bought havoc upon the enemy. Bhai Sahib always carried a top weapon and going to Pakistan daily was a normal thing for Bhai Sahib. In Pakistan Bhai Sahib was very much loved by Bhai Wadhawa Singh Chacha of Babbar Khalsa. Bhai Sahib was known as one of the main Singhs of Bhai Anar Singh Para’s group. Bhai Sahib got on with Singhs from all Jhujaru groups, especially Bhai Sukhchain Singh Ladhu and Baba Ram Singh of Jai Singh Manihala. The Punjab Police, CRPF and BSF were roaming like dogs to capture Bhai Sahib, they had put a reward of one lakh rupees on Bhai Sahib’s head.

The family does not remember the exact date of Bhai Sahibs Shaheedi, but it was the month of January-February 1992-1993, Bhai Sahib along with his group were travelling to Bhai Ladhu village on a mission given by Khalistan Liberation Force. On the way CRPF had set up bunkers near the bridge of Bhai Ladhu. As the Jhujaru Singhs approached the bridge, the CRPF that was hiding attacked the Jhujaru Singhs. In this fierce encounter against the CRPF, Bhai Sahib was shot in his right leg but he still managed to escape. Bhai Sahib waited in someone’s house in the village of Chung to be treated for his wound, but someone told the police that Bhai Sahib was in the house. The police then arrested the wounded Bhai Sahib as he was unarmed. After being arrested Bhai Sahib was blindly tortured by the Punjab Police. Bhai Sahib was asked to give information on the other Jhujaru Singhs of his group but Bhai Sahib did not say a single word to the enemy and continued to meditate on Waheguru. In the end Bhai Sahib was tied to the back of a jeep and dragged around as the police drove the jeep and like this Bhai Sahib attained Shaheedi. During the time of torture, Bhai Sahib’s older brother, Bhai Sukhwinder Singh Shinda had come to see Bhai Sahib. The police arrested him too and made him Shaheed also. After the Shaheedi of these two brothers their bodies were not given to the family and had been cremated secretly in Patti.

Information given by Family of Shaheed Bhai Anwar Sigh Dhurput