Shaheed Bhai Ajit Singh Kashtiwal

Babbar Khalsa

 

Bhai Ajit Singh Pardhan was born on 5th December 1960, from the blessed womb of Mata Dalip Kaur and in the house of Sardar Banta Singh in the Kashtiwal village. Bhai Sahib was the 6th eldest of 10 children, eldest being Bibi Amarjit Kaur, Bhai Buta Singh, Bhai Nishan Singh, Bibi Narinder Kaur, Bhai Jasmail Singh, Bhai Ajit Singh Pardhan, Bhai Lakhbir Singh, Bhai Hardev Singh, Bhai Baldev Singh and the youngest, Bhai Didar Singh. Sardar Banta Singh was a farmer and the whole family were deeply connected to Sikh faith. Bhai Sahib only studied till 4th class, due to having not much interest in education, Bhai Sahib assisted his father in farming.

 

Bhai Sahib had taken Amrit in his childhood and followed the Sikh code of conduct. Bhai Sahib was a very giving soul and always went out of his way to provide for loved ones. Bhai Sahib helped many poor and weak people who were struggling with their day to day lives. For some time, Bhai Sahib did Sewa at Guru Arjun Dev Ji Gurdwara in Othian village. In 1987, Bhai Sahib married Bibi Sukhwinder Kaur from Goraya Kot village. Bhai Sahib had 1 son from this marriage, Bhai Dilsher Singh.

 

During the year 1987, the Sikh freedom movement had picked up its pace. Being from the village Kashtiwal, a Jhujaru Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh Kashtiwal had left home and was fighting for Khalistan under the command of Babbar Khalsa. Bhai Sahib was a childhood friend of Bhai Dharam Singh Kashtiwal, and for this reason Bhai Sahib helped this Jhujaru group in secret without anyone finding out. Bhai Sahib was fully behind the cause of Sikh homeland, Khalistan. Bhai Sahib supported Jhujaru Singhs with Langar, delivering messages, clothing and giving accommodation. On suspicion, the Punjab police would arrest Bhai Sahib and release him after inhumane torture, the police would interrogate Bhai Sahib for information on Bhai Dharam Singh Kashtiwal, but Bhai Sahib never uttered a word that could lead to the capture of any Jhujaru Singh. Even after this harassment, Bhai Sahib continued to support the Jhujaru Singhs secretly. During these times, Bhai Jasbir Singh Bittu, also left home and joined the Jhujaru Singhs.

 

On 30th April 1991, Bhai Sahib went to Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar to meet Bhai Dharam Singh Kashtiwal and Bhai Jasbir Singh Bittu in regards. This meeting was held to plan on how to handle the upcoming elections of Punjab. The 3 Jhujaru Singhs then went to a factory in Batala for another meeting, but this news had travelled to the police and the Jhujaru Singhs were now surrounded by the Indian security forces. Bhai Sahib and Bhai Jasbir Singh Bittu assisted Bhai Dharam Singh Kashtiwal in escaping, but the Indian army had managed to arrest these 2 Jhujaru Singhs. In the end, after brutal torture, Bhai Ajit Singh Pardhan of Kashtiwal and Bhai Jasbir Singh Bittu both attained martyrdom and had written their names in the Sikh history with golden ink.

 

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Ajit Singh Kashtiwal