Shaheed Bhai Surinderjit Singh Mallewal

Khalistan Commando Force

 

Bhai Surinderjit Singh was born in the house of Sardar Sohan Singh and from the blessed womb of Mata Kulwant Kaur in the village of Mallewal, district Hoshiarpur. Bhai Sahib had and elder sister, Bibi Amarjeet Kaur and an elder brother, Bhai Tarsem Singh. Bhai Sahib was very well educated and had completed his BA & ITI studies. Whenever Bhai Sahib met a fellow Amritdhari Singh, he would hug them and show great amount of love and respect. I anyone made a mistake, Bhai Sahib would explain to them with calmness. Well before 1984, Bhai Sahib always encouraged young Sikhs to connect Sikhs and also had spent some time with the Jhujaru Singhs under the guidance of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale.

 

Bhai Sahib was involved in the Sikh freedom struggle prior to 1986, and in a meeting of Jhujaru Singhs in Dasuya, he had been selected as the group’s secretary. Bhai Sahib was very close to Bhai Iqbal Singh Bagha, Bhai Surinder Singh Shinda alias Bai Ji (village Shahbazpur, near Tanda) and Bhai Jasvir Singh Sodhi (village Bhana). In August 1987, the Punjab police had surrounded Bhai Sahib in Tiba Sahib and at the time of the arrest he was unarmed. The police officer who tried to arrest Bhai Sahib first was killed by Bhai Sahib with is Siri Sahib (Kirpan), eventually Bhai Sahib was pounced on and arrested, he was sent to Hoshiarpur jail at first, then later moved to Nabha jail. After 2 years, in 1989, Bhai Sahib was released on bail but the police still continued to harass him and his family members.

 

Bhai Sahib had only attended the court once after being bailed. Due to the continuous harassment of the Punjab police, Bhai Sahib decided to go underground and fight the fight for Khalistan alongside his Jhujaru brothers of Khalistan Commando Force. Bhai Sahib’s unmatched bravery and commitment to the Sikh struggle earned him the rank of Area Commander of Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur area. Then later, promoted to Lieutenant General of Khalistan Commando Force. The Punjab police now were hunting for Bhai Sahib like hungry dogs, they had also turned his family house into a police station. The family would stay in one room and the police would stay in rest of the house. The police also demolished parts of the house 3 times, which was then rebuilt by the family again and again. Some of Bhai Sahib actions are listed below:

 

  • In 1990, Bhai Sahib and fellow Jhujaru brothers were having a meeting near the Chandi Mandir in Dasuya village, when they were all surrounded by the Indian security forces who opened fire upon the Jhujaru Singhs under the orders of Thandar Shajju Ram. In this fierce encounter, the Jhujaru Singhs showed such bravery, that the Thanedar begged the Singhs for his and his colleagues lives to be spared. The Jhujaru Singhs allowed them to put their hands up and leave the battlefield, which they did.

  • In 1991, when Lal Kishan Advani came to Phagwara on a tour, Bhai Sahib and fellow Jhujaru Singhs disrupted his rally and killed some police officers as well as some Hindu extremists.

 

On 12th April 1992, Bhai Sahib and Bhai Surinder Singh Shinda alias Bai Ji (village Shahbazpur, near Tanda) were resting at a house in village Mauli, near Phagwara when an informant gave this information to the local police station. Within an hour, Indian security forces including the army had surrounded the house and demanded the Jhujaru duo to surrender. But the Jhujaru brothers replied with fire from their assault rifles, killing 2 Indian soldiers and wounding another. Looking at these casualties, the Indian army backed off to re-strategize, the Jhujaru Singhs took advantage of this and moved into the fields from the house. Due to being surrounded by heavy numbers of Indian soldiers, Bhai Shinda was wounded and demanded Bhai Sahib to leave him and escape. But Bhai Sahib denied this request, then Bhai Shinda shouted Bhai Sahib to escape, after which he started walking away from his wounded brother. But then Bhai Sahib turned around and ran to hug Bhai Shinda and said, “Brother, I am not leaving you behind.” Bhai Sahib picked up his wounded brother and carried him 2km away. Then Bhai Sahib gave drinking water to Bhai Shinda from a nearby water tubal. Eye witness statement from the farmer, was that the 2 Jhujaru Singhs had realised there was no escape due to heavy surroundings by the Indian army. They went into a wheat farm and sat down. The army made announcement for the Singhs to surrender, but Bhai Sahib opened his buttons of the shirt and stood up. He slapped his chest and shouted at the Indian soldiers, “Shoot us in our chests, because our Guru has taught us to become a martyr fighting and not to surrender.” In this battle both Jhujaru Singhs attained martyrdom, being shit in their chests.

 

It is said, that where the blood of these Jhujaru Singhs dropped, the locals had collected that soil, which was enriched with martyrs’ blood and took it home. The locals also planted a rode the location of the martyrdom, which till today spreads it aroma. The bodies of both martyrs were given to their families who cremated them in their villages.

 

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Surinderjit Singh Mallewal

Charhdi Kala (Canadian Newspaper) – 5th November 1994