Shaheed Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi

Khalistan Liberation Force 

 

Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi was born in 1952 to father Sardar Sundar Singh and Mata Resham Kaur m in village Chogawan, district Moga. Of the six siblings, Bhai Satwant Singh was the eldest, with two younger sisters Bibi Rajinder Kaur, Bibi Harbhajan Kaur and three younger brothers, Bhai Kulwant Singh, Bhai Satnam Singh and Bhai Charanjit Singh. Bhai Sahib received his education up to seventh grade from the government high school in village Mehana. His father used to serve in the Railway Police and he was also a very high-spirited Gursikh. Bhai Satwant Singh was of religious nature since childhood. Getting up at Amrit Vela, chanting Gurbani and going to Gurdwara Sahib to get the blessings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj was his daily routine. During his youth, Bhai Sahib first worked in a clothing mill in Amritsar and later came back to the village and started trading cows and buffaloes. In 1975, Bhai Sahib took Amrit from the Panj Pyare at Sri Akaal Takht Sahib, Amritsar. 

 

Joining Sikh Students Federation

In 1978, the Narakhdharis killed and martyred 13 Singhs on the day of Vaisakhi in Amritsar, this incident had a profound effect on Bhai Sahib’s mind. After this, Bhai Sahib came in contact with the head of Damdami Taksal, Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale and Bhai Amrik Singh, President of All India Sikh Students Federation. Bhai Amrik Singh enrolled Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi into the Federation and after that, Bhai Sahib dedicated his life to the Sikh nation. Bhai Sahib started visiting home less and less. Bhai Sahib remained active in the duties of Sikh Student Federation along with the Singhs of Damdami Taksal and Federation. Sant Bhindranwale had a close relationship with Bhai Sahib also. When the Sikh nation was fighting for its rights during the Dharam Yudh Morcha, Bhai Sahib also gave voluntary arrests in this movement.

 

In June 1984, such a terrible time came that the Indian government dropped its mechanism of oppression upon the Sikh nation. The Indian army attacked Sri Harimandir Sahib, this was done to eliminate Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale, the Jhujaru Singhs defending the Sikh faith and to commit genocide of the Sikhs in India. The Indian army destroyed Sri Akaal Takht Sahib with tank-cannons and shot dead thousands of devotees who came to visit. Due to this massacre, the fire of anger rose in the heart of Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi, a rebellion arose in his mind against the Indian government and at the same time Bhai Satwant Singh took the congregation of his village and started marching to Sri Amritsar. But soon as the congregation reached the outskirts of Amritsar, the army forcefully made them turn back and leave. On his return to the village, Bhai Sahib was unable to sit still. 

 

Joining Khalistan Liberation Force

After the massacre, Bhai Sahib did Ardas at the feet of the Guru and Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi jumped into the armed struggle of Khalistan to cleanse the enemies of the Sikh nation. Bhai Sahib joined Khalistan Malwa Kesari Commando Force, which later merged with Khalistan Liberation Force and along with the Jhujaru Singhs of Sikh Students Federation, Bhai Sahib punished and many black cats, traitors, police informers and cruel policemen. Khalistan Liberation Force Chief General, Jathedar Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala had immense love for Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi and under his command he took part in big actions.

 

On the other hand, the police started torturing the families of the Jhujaru Singhs to shake them from the path of righteousness. The police also made the family of Bhai Sahib a victim of their oppression, the family was subjected to immense torture but Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi did not waver and continued to travel the path of struggle. Bhai Sahib often used to come to his village with Jhujaru Singhs and stay at night in a water tubal. 

 

Unique Martyrdom

Some so-called Akali leaders of Bhai Sahib’s village were very jealous of him and they could not tolerate his rising respect in the area. They conspired with DSP Bachan Randhawa to have Bhai Sahib killed. According to Bhai Sahib’s brother, a police tout from their village, Hardeep Singh, made friends with Bhai Sahib and one day he took Bhai Sahib in his van for some work. According to the plan already made, DSP Bachan Randhawa had set up a blockade ON Moga Bypass with the police party, at that blockade the police surrounded the van and took Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi into their custody and he was taken to the CIA staff of Moga.

 

The police subjected Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi to inhuman torture in the CIA staff from morning till evening, in which Bhai Sahib’s groin was torn, a pestle was turned on his body, electric shocks were given, his hands and feet were tied and hung upside down, and both arms of Bhai Sahib were broken. Then Bhai Sahib was imprisoned in this condition. All this was witnessed by a policeman who was stationed at the CIA staff of Moga, Satwant Singh Manak. Bhai Sahib asked for water from this policeman from inside his cell, which he gave to Bhai Sahib. When the shift of Satwant Singh Manak was over, another guard came on duty. Then when Satwant Singh Manak came on shift the following day, the body of Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi was lying dead in the custody. The cruel police officers martyred Bhai Satwant Singh Sodhi on the night of 5th November 1991 by torturing him blindly. Then at night, Bhai Sahib’s body was thrown into the canal with his throat and stomach cut open. Satwant Singh Manak is an eyewitness to this whole incident. Manak also said that in front of him, not one but many Sikh youths have been killed by the police in fake encounters. 

 

Tavareekh Shaheed-E-Khalistan 2 – Ranjit Singh Damdami Taksal