Shaheed Bhai Tasbeer Singh Jhander

Khalistan Liberation Force

Bhai Tasbeer Singh alias Tasbeer Jhander was born in the year of 1970, in the house of Sardar Anoop Singh and from the womb of Mata Sukhbir Kaur in the village of Jhander near Guru Ka Bagh, district Amritsar. Bhai was the youngest of 6 children, Bhai Lakhbir Singh, Bhai Jasbir Singh, Bibi Rajbans Kaur, Bibi Sulakhni Kaur, Bhai Kuldeep Singh and Bhai Sahib himself. Bhai Sahib’s father, Sardar Anoop Singh was a farmer and provided for his family through working on his family farms. Bhai Sahib studied up to 10th class at the local village school, in studies Bhai Sahib always passed being first and at times second. Bhai Sahib was dearly loved by all of the family members as he was the youngest child. Bhai Sahib was very fit and always remained energetic, as well as this he was also very brave and had never showed fear in anything he did. Bhai Sahib played Kabbadi and he was a great player, his speciality was being a raider. Bhai Sahib also took part in local Kabbadi tournaments and had won many medals.

As Bhai Sahib stepped into his teenage, he started noticing the injustices that were being committed upon Sikhs by the Indian government. At times Bhai Sahib would go Sri Harimandir Sahib during the Dharam Yudh Morcha without telling his parents, as if he told them they would try and stop him. Bhai Sahib loved to meet Jhujaru Singhs and listen to the revolutionary speeches of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale. When all the Jhujaru Singhs started staying at Sri Darbar Sahib complex few weeks before the June 1984 attack, Bhai Sahib also tried to stay at the complex but his parent did not allow him. Later on the Indian army attacked Sri Darbar Sahib and made many Singhs that Bhai Sahib had spent time with shaheed. At that time Bhai Sahib was studying in 8th class. After the attack Bhai Sahib came to see the destroyed Sri Akaal Takht Sahib with his family. Upon seeing bullet holes all over the complex, Bhai Sahib was deeply hurt.

Bhai Sahib had been witnessing injustices taking place upon his people and after the attack Bhai Sahib’s mind was against the Indian government and he wanted revenge for all his brothers and sisters that were killed by India. Then in November 1984, Bhai Sahib saw his fellow Sikhs being burnt alive and gang raped by Hindu mobs. After this genocide Bhai Sahib could not sleep, he wanted to punish the killers of the Sikhs. Bhai Sahib’s parents saw a change in him and kept a close eye on him, not allowing him to go out. Bhai Sahib wanted to leave his studies and join the Jhujaru Singhs that were on the battlefield fighting for Independence. Then in the year of 1987, Bhai Sahib gave his exams for 10th class and short time after that he left home and went underground. Few months before going underground, Bhai Sahib was taken to army barracks in Ambala by his brother, Bhai Lakhbir Singh to enrol him. Bhai Sahib had passed all tests to be in the army but then he told his brother, “I don’t want to join the army, I only came here to get some training. My dream is to attain martyrdom for Sikh panth.” Bhai Sahib reminded his brother the words of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale when he said, “The day Indian army attacks Sri Darbar Sahib, that day the foundation of Khalistan will be laid.”

During the mid-1987, Bhai Sahib regularly went to Sri Darbar Sahib on Massia, it is here he met Jhujaru Singhs of Khalistan Liberation Force who did actions under the command of Jathedar Avtar Singh Brahma. Kicking the opportunity of joining the Indian army, Bhai Sahib enrolled himself for the Khalistan army under the command of Jathedar Brahma. After joining Khalistan Liberation Force, Bhai Sahib was sent to Pakistan for guerrilla warfare training. In Pakistan, Bhai Sahib met top Jhujaru Singhs from all groups such as Jathedar Avtar Singh Brahma, Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala, Bhai Gurdeep Singh Vakeel, Bhai Lal Singh Akaalgarh and others. Bhai Sahib had travelled to Pakistan on many occasions. After completing is training, Bhai Sahib fulfilled every order with bravery that high command gave him. At first Bhai Sahib was under the command of Jathedar Brahma but after his martyrdom, Bhai Sahib followed orders of Jathedar Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala. Bhai Sahib did actions with Bhai Bikar Singh Bika (Son of Sardar Didar Singh, Guru Ka Bagh), Bhai Jagir Singh Fauji Kala Afghana, Bhai Nishan Singh Makhu, Bhai Jugraj Singh Toofan, Bhai Waryam Singh Bure Nangal and Bhai Manjit Singh Khujala.

By the year of 1990, many of Bhai Sahib’s fellow Jhujaru Singhs had attained martyrdom and to make his group strong again Bhai Sahib recruited Singhs from the Amritsar area that were brave and had clean characters. Now Bhai Sahib’s group was full of brave Gursikhs such as Bhai Palwinder Singh Sona, Bhai Lakha Singh Dubli, Bhai Jasbeer Singh Tanda, Bhai Jagjeet Singh Jaggi Udhoke, Bhai Kashmir Singh Jhander, Bhai Harpal Singh Pala, Bhai Harjinder Singh Pehlwan, Bhai Dilawar Singh Sharma, Bhai Hardev Singh Kalia Kadrabad, Bhai Seeta Singh Jhakhar, Bhai Nirmal Singh Nimma Mehma Pandori, Bhai Ranjit Singh Rana Jhite Kalan, Bhai Kulwinder Singh Bhola Thhathhi Khara, Bhai Tarsem Singh Thhathhi Khara, Bhai Jhirmal Singh Gheri Mandi, Bhai Amarjit Singh Sheikhapura, Bhai Tarsem Singh Laddi, Bhai Baldev Singh Meharwanpur and Bhai Veervel Singh Dhodhi. Bhai Sahib fought the battle for Khalistan bravely and according to the Sikh principles. Bhai Sahib would always recite Gurbani knowing that only Waheguru is making him do the sewa and only Waheguru will protect him. Fellow Jhujaru Singhs would give great amount of respect to Bhai Sahib and called him Baba Tasbeera. Bhai Sahib always taught fellow Jhujaru Singhs not to harm and innocent person and not to let anyone else harm the innocent.

Bhai Sahib did many actions and that steered that arm struggle towards its goal, Khalistan. These are some of the actions Bhai Sahib had taken responsibility for:

  1. In 1989, Bhai Sahib opened blind fire upon a Shiv Sena crowd that was celebrating the hanging of Bhai Satwant Singh and Bhai Kehar Singh. This action was done in the village of Gheri Mandi, near Jandiala. Bhai Sahib killed 29 Shiv Sena members.
  1. Bhai Sahib held Khalsa Panchayats in local villages and asked the public about their problems. Bhai Sahib would gather 20/25 Sarpanchs from local villages and solve their issues. Whenever Bhai Sahib was informed of criminals, Bhai Sahib would give them a chance to change or they would be punished.
  1. Following the orders of KLF, in May 1991 Bhai Sahib assassinated Harbhajan Sandhu, who was the Agricultural Minister. Sandhu’s crime was that he had become reach from the blood of Jhujaru Singhs, having them arrested/killed and claiming their rewards. During the Barnala rule, Sandhu also played a part in attacking Sri Darbar Sahib which was code named Operation Black Thunder.
  1. Also in 1991, Bhai Sahib kidnapped the grandson of Ragunath Bhattia, who was the Foreign Minister of India. This action was done to have Bhai Anokh Singh Ubhoke (Jhujaru Singh from the Jatha of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale) released from jail. Only when Bhai Ubhoke was released did Bhai Sahib let go of Bhattia’s grandson.
  1. As well as doing targeted hits, Bhai Sahib also attacked police stations, Indian security forces checkpoints and their bases. For example, in the village of Lalpura, Bhai Sahib planted roadside bombs and when the CRPF convoy passed it blew up 2 jeeps killing 2 inspectors and 7 soldiers.
  1. Bhai Sahib killed the family of SSP Makhan, who had killed many Jhujaru Singhs and members of their families.
  1. Bhai Sahib also killed many police informants and black cats that were on Indian payroll to infiltrate the movement. Santokh Kala and the Sarpanch of Verka were amongst these assassinations.
  1. Bhai Sahib also attacked many police stations in his area, such as Thana Bhalapind near sugar mill, Ajnala. In this attack 5 officers were killed and Bhai Sahib also looted the armoury. This attack was done in revenge to the martyrdom of Shaheed Bhai Kanwarjit Singh Sultanwind of Khalistan Commando Force.
  1. As well sending the enemies to hell, Bhai Sahib stopped many people from taking drugs and had arranged the weddings of many sisters from poor families.

By 1992, most of the Jhujaru Singhs from Bhai Sahib’s group had attained martyrdom and following orders of high command, in July Bhai Sahib went to Bombay. Bhai Sahib stayed here for roughly 2 months, from here the senior Singhs wanted to send Bhai Sahib to Switzerland to recruit more Jhujaru minded people, but Bhai Sahib declined and said that this was against his principles. Bhai Sahib wanted to attain martyrdom fighting the enemy in the battlefield and he returned to Punjab to continue doing actions. By now Jathedar Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala had attained martyrdom and Jhujaru Singhs were being killed rapidly.

In the end on 9th October 1992, Bhai Sahib was staying at someone’s house of Batala Road in Amritsar and this information was given to police by an informant. On this day Bhai Sahib was unarmed and it was heavily raining. The police soon surrounded the house and shouted for Bhai Sahib to surrender, upon hearing this Bhai Sahib tried to escape by jumping the wall on the back but was unsuccessful and was arrested. The police took Bhai Sahib to BR Model School which was a temporary interrogation centre and he was blindly tortured for information on fellow Jhujaru Singhs and Jathebandi. When Bhai Sahib was asked where all the weapons were, Bhai Sahib replied, “The weapons belong to the Jhujaru Singhs and only they will use them. If you can get me to say my name then I’ll rate you.” The police were angry and took their anger out by torturing Bhai Sahib blindly, but he did not scream instead he recited Gurbani and took on all the torture. Bhai Sahib was very weak and wasn’t able to walk, DGP KP Gill contacted the police from Chandigarh and demanded that before killing Bhai Sahib he should be presented to him alive. The police then admitted Bhai Sahib into Guru Nanak Hospital of Amritsar, here DGP KP Gill came to Bhai Sahib and tried to bribe Bhai Sahib to give information on the movement. Bhai Sahib was a brave Singh who followed the principles of Sikhi and would not give up to greed for money or even life. DGP KP Gill was trying everything and said, “Look you’re a Gill and I’m a Gill, we are both Jatt brothers. If you give me information then I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.” Bhai Sahib only replied by calling the police leader the dog of Indian government. Being angry the DGP ordered his officers to put capsules of cyanide into Bhai Sahib’s mouth and make him shaheed. After the martyrdom of Bhai Sahib the body was shown to the family for identification and later cremated under the guard of Punjab police. The family were not even allowed to bath the body of Bhai Sahib prior to cremation.

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Tasbeer Singh Jhander