Shaheed Bhai Manohar Singh Dhira

Khalistan Liberation Force

Bhai Manohar Singh Dhira was born on 15th October 1953 in the village of Varha Bhai Ka, in the house of Sardar Ait Singh and from the womb of Mata Kermit Kaur. Bhai Sahib had two sisters and two brothers. From his childhood Bhai Sahib started studying at the local government primary school. Bhai Sahib passed 5th class in his village, and then joined the school in the village Sudhar, district Ludhiana. Here Bhai Sahib stayed with his Bhua Ji, the sister of Sardar Ajit Singh. After passing 8th class in Sudhar, Bhai Sahib returned back to his village.

Then on 15th October 1970 at the age of 17 years Bhai Sahib enrolled himself into the Indian Army. Bhai Sahib was a boxing champion in the army, in a short time Bhai Sahib was made Subedar in the army in 1973. Bhai Sahib married Bibi Shuminder Kaur, a resident of Mahsheri Sandhua during his holidays. Bhai Sahib had three sons from this marriage. After getting married Bhai Sahib then again joined the Indian Army. During the time in the army Bhai Sahib had a boxing match with a senior officer, in which Bhai Sahib humiliated the opponent. After losing the match, the senior officer started discriminating against Bhai Sahib, due to this Bhai Sahib left the Indian Army on 31st August 1973.

On 30th March 1991 Bhai Sahib, Bhai Kulwant Singh Khukhrana and Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala were travelling on a bullet motorcycle to the city of Moga. Bhai Sahib was in control of the motorcycle, Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala was in the middle and Bhai Kulwant Singh Khukhrana was sitting on the back. These three Jhujaru brothers were laughing and joking as they travelled. Bhai Khukhrana said “Brother Dhira, ride the motorcycle faster or give it to me, I’ll ride it.” Bhai Sahib replied “I’ll turn this motorcycle into a plane.” then Bhai Budhsinghwala jokingly said “Brother Dhira, if we didn’t kidnap the son of Desraj to have you released, they would’ve made a plane out of you.”

Soon Bhai Khukhrana saw a police jeep coming behind them, he alerted the others. An informant had given the information of these Singhs to the police. The police jeep was now right close to the motorcycle, this moment Bhai Khukhrana opened fire onto the police from his revolver. Bhai Budhsinghwala was reloading the pistol and giving it back to Bhai Khukhrana, meanwhile Bhai Sahib started speeding the motorcycle. A bus driver was not giving way to the Jhujaru Singhs to pass and the police had once again caught up. Bhai Sahib had no choice but take the motorcycle into a side street, unfortunately the street was a dead end. The motorcycle smashed into something and Bhai Khukhrana was badly injured due to which he could not run. By now the police had also come and stood firing shots at the Singhs from the entrance/exit of the street. Bhai Sahib was shot in one arm, Bhai Khukhrana told Bhai Sahib and Bhai Budhsinghwala to run but Bhai Sahib insisted they take Bhai Khukhrana with them. For sometime firing was exchanged on both sides, Bhai Budhsinghwala told Bhai Khukhrana, “Brother wait till the morning  and I’ll break you out of the police custody.” Bhai Budhsinghwala then shouted at the police and warned them, “If anything happens to our brother, Bhai Kulwant Singh Khukhrana, l will burn you and your police station down.” Then Bhai Sahib and Bhai Budhsinghwala escaped and left Bhai Khukhrana thinking that he would be safe, Bhai Khukhrana was arrested. The next morning Bhai Sahib and Bhai Budhsinghwala decided they were going to kidnap the leading police officers son, so they could demand the release of Bhai Khukhrana in exchange. Bhai Sahib kidnapped police officer Kehar Singhs son, but they were too late, Bhai Khukhrana had attained Shaheedi. Within 10 days Bhai Sahib and Bhai Budhsinghwala killed the Thanedar who killed Bhai Khukhrana, after this Bhai Sahib continued to punish the anti-Sikh elements.

Bhai Sahib now moved to Amritsar with his family and at the same time stayed in contact with Jhujaru Singhs. In the end that day came, the day which every Jhujaru Singh awaits, the day of Shaheedi. On 29th July 1991, Bhai Sahib and two police officers by the names of Bhai Avtar Singh and Bhai Jagtar Singh were travelling to Guru Ke Jandiala on a scooter, these two police officers had help Jhujaru Singhs on many occasions. Bhai Avtar Singh was riding the scooter, Bhai Sahib was sitting in the middle and Bhai Jagtar Singh was sitting on the back, all of a sudden a police checkpoint came ahead. Bhai Jagtar Singh saw the checkpoint and as he was sitting on the back, he jumped off the scooter and ran off. Mean while Bhai Avtar Singh who was sitting in front was shot by the police and crashed the scooter, Bhai Sahib also fell to the ground. The police surrounded the Singhs as the Jhujaru Singhs were unable to fight back. Bhai Sahib made his mind up on giving Shaheedi by taking a capsule of Sy-Nyde rather than be killed by the Indian security forces. Bhai Sahib attained Shaheedi on 29th July 1991 and Bhai Avtar Singh was arrested. The police were angry that they didn’t capture Bhai Sahib alive, they tied the body of Bhai Sahib to the back of a bulletproof tractor and dragged it to the police station. Bhai Sahib was cremated under heavy police presence. Even after the Shaheedi of Bhai Sahib his family was continuously harassed by the police. Shaheed Bhai Manohar Singh Dhira will always shine amongst other Jhujaru Singhs who gave their lives for Khalistan.

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Manohar Singh Dhira