Jathedar
Avtar Singh Brahma
Ji
1st Jathedar of Tat Khalsa
Preceded bynone (position founded)
Succeeded bynone (merged with Khalistan Liberation Force)
2nd Jathedar of Khalistan Liberation Force
Preceded byBhai Aroor Singh
Succeeded byGurjant Singh Budhsinghwala
Personal details
Born1951 (1951)
Village Brahmpura, Tarn Taran district, India
Died22 July 1988(1988-07-22) (aged 36–37)
Rajasthan, India
NicknameBrahma
Military service
AllegianceKhalistan Liberation Force
Years of service1984 - 1988
RankJathedar
General
Battles/warsInsurgency in Punjab

Avtar Singh Brahma (1951–22 July 1988), also known as "Jathedar Avtar Singh Ji Brahma" was one of the main founding figures and the second leader of the Kharku militant organization known as Khalistan Liberation Force founded in 1986.[1][2] He became known as a Robin Hood figure.[3] Avtar Singh has been reputed for never attacking civilians.[4]

Early life

Not much is known about Avtar Singh's early life. What is known is that he was born in 1951 in Sandhu Jat sikh family of village Brahampur near Tarn Taran Sahib. His family was an agricultural one and were very poor. He left school at an early age to work at his family farm.[5][6] Avtar Singh at a young age was sent by his parents to Bidhi Chand Dal. He was brought up in the dera at Sur Singh near Amritsar. He soon took amrit and became a Khalsa.[6] There he also became a Nihang Singh who are generally the warriors of the Sikh community.[7]

Tat Khalsa

Following Operation Blue Star an Insurgency began in the Punjab, India. Avtar Singh created a small militant group known as the “Tat Khalsa”.[8]

Avtar Singh would take revenge in his home village for the beating of women and children.[3]

In 1985 Avtar Singh attacked SHO (Station House Officer) Harinder Singh who managed to survive, but was injured.[6]

One of Avtar Singh's first exploits was attacking CRPF, BSF, and Indian army convoys. Brahma would lead regular attacks on security personnel convoys.[9]

In Baler Avtar Singh Brahma and fellow militants surrounded a CRPF jeep. CRPF men tried to flee and fight, but were killed. In retaliation for this security personnel shot and killed 2 Sikhs who they claimed were militants. Avtar Singh Brahma refuted these claims saying they were innocent Sikhs of the village.[9][6]

Soon after Avtar Singh Brahma and fellow militants were attacked by a force of 20,000 CRPF members in Manakpur. A fierce battle ensued. The militants fought throughout the day and managed to hold off the CRPF. Avtar Singh and fellow militants broke through the CRPF's lines and escaped at night. Many of the militants had died.[9] Over 3 CRPF vehicles were blown up, over 2,000 CRPF men were killed, and Avtar Singh lost part of his finger.[10]

In 1986 Avtar Singh killed the Thanderar (Assistant Sub-Inspector) of Chola Sahib, Shiv Singh. Shiv Singh was unpopular as he used excessive force and had no respect for the locals. The locals were supporters of Avtar Singh Brahma instead. Avtar Singh had created a major plot to kill Shiv Singh. He had fellow militants tell Shiv Singh his location and led Shiv Singh to believe that he was weak and could be easily captured. Shiv Singh fell for the act and went with fellow officers to arrest Avtar Singh. Avtar Singh knew of their movements and attacked them. Shiv Singh and two other officers were killed and 4 others were injured.[6][9]

Avtar Singh next attacked a CRPF patrol party at Bhikhiwind killing 1 Sub-Inspector and two jawans.[6]

Avtar Singh's legendary status continued to grow. He centred his operation in the Mand region (The Mand region is the riverbank land along the Beas)[11] and was the de facto ruler.[12] Avtar Singh was known as the "King of Mand". In July 1986 Operation Mand was launched to capture Avtar Singh and his fellow militants. The Operation was led by KPS Gill and was approved by DGP Julio Riberio.[13] About 30 companies of security forces along with multiple helicopters, bulldozers, and mechanised boats were deployed and used for the Operation which was conducted in a over 240 square kilometre area.[11] [14] The Operation did not go as expected for the Indian forces. 1000s of Police and Paramilitary forces surrounded the Mand region. According to Avtar Singh, he and fellow Tat Khalsa members clashed with and repulsed an attacking force of officers and paramilitary, with the attacking force suffering high casualties. Avtar Singh also shot down a Paramilitary helicopter. The other helicopters fell back after this.[15][16] After Avtar Singh and fellow Tat Khalsa members managed to escape.[11] The operation faced heavy criticism for being "overkill". The operation lasted for 40 hours. It was initially described as the destruction of the Khalistan capital, but police had only captured a few weapons. Revenue Minister Major Singh Uboke called Operation Mand "Operation Fraud". He said at a cabinet meeting, that innocent Sikh youth and women were being harassed and tortured by the security forces.[11] Major Singh Uboke later said, “I think I made a mistake by calling it just Operation Fraud. I should actually have called it operation pak-hand (charade). They took hundreds of troops, helicopters, guns and boats. But what happened? They did not even succeed in wetting an extremist's beard. A lot of the Mand area falls under my constituency, and if I do not know what a fraud the whole thing was, and do not speak out, who would?”[17]

Khalistan Liberation Force

In late 1986 Aroor Singh formed the Khalistan Liberation Force which was a merger of the Tat Khalsa, Mai Bhago Regiment, Khalistan Armed Police, Dasmesh Regiment, Khalistan Security Force and others.[18][19] In early 1987 Aroor Singh was arrested and brutally tortured by police.[20] He would later be killed. Following his death Avtar Singh took over the Khalistan Liberation Force.[21] Avtar Singh made Gurjant Singh and Pipal Singh his 2 Lieutenant-Generals[22]

On December 27, 1986, Avtar Singh Brahma and fellow militants challenged the CRPF to try to capture them for 20 minutes at Brahampura. The CRPF did not attempt to capture him and waited for reinforcements. Once reinforcements arrived around an hour later they smashed their way into homes and searched them in the village trying to find Avtar Singh. They were accused of committing atrocities in the search and faced heavy criticism from many leaders. Some were burning of Guru Granth Sahib, shooting at Guru Granth Sahib, beating the elderly Sarpanch, rape and molestation of girls. Avtar Singh Brahma vowed to get revenge in a letter and punish those responsible. Brahma with other KLF members would attack multiple CRPF headquarters, bases, convoys, and stations.[23][24][25][26][27]

Punjab DGP Julio F. Riberio would admit to an “excesses” by the CRPF.[28]

On January 15, 1987, Avtar Singh’s planned assassination of Lieutenant Colonel Sant Singh Bhullar was conducted. Bhullar attacked a Gurdwara in Sri Muktsar Sahib as part of Operation Blue Star. 10 KLF members with sub machine guns and pistols had broken into Bhullar’s home and killed him in a burst fire. His sister-in-law was also killed. Three others were injured. They left behind a note from Avtar Singh Brahma claiming responsibility. The note blamed Bhullar for, “..the desecration of the Sikh historic temple at Mukstar”.[29]

Avtar Singh Brahma claimed responsibility for killing Pahar Singh and his wife. Pahar was a KLF Lieutenant General. Brahma claimed that they had broke KLF’s rules and began to kill innocents as well as extorting people.[30]

Under Avtar Singh senior KLF members launched an attack in September 1987. The target was Sub-Inspector Mith Singh. Mith Singh had been hand-picked by then chief of Punjab Police Julio F. Riberio. He was picked to deal with Avtar Singh’s Lieutenant-General Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala. Mith Singh had been accused of police brutality and targeting Budhsinghwala’s family. Mith Singh had dragged Budhsinghwala’s father by his hair in a public humiliation.[31] Budhsinghwala began plotting to kill Mith Singh in revenge for his actions with Husan Singh. The attack was carried out by Budshinghwala and fellow Sikh militants on 15 September 1987 at around 9 in the morning. Mith Singh was shot while he was walking along with his guard a police constable. Both of their guns were taken by Budhsinghwala. In the crossfire a schoolboy was also killed and 5 others were injured. The killing is said to have greatly alarmed Punjab Chief of Police Riberio. Mith Singh was one of his best and most loyal officers.[32][33]

On November 1, 1987, Avtar Singh Brahma claimed responsibility for the killing of 2 CRPF jawans in an ambush the day before near Kabirpur.[34]

On November 6, 1987, Brahma killed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Tara Chand.[35] Chand was killed in the Jagraon area.[36]

One of Brahma’s most major actions was the killing of Senior Superintendent of Police Avinder Singh Brar and Senior Superintendent of Police KRS Gill on December 14, 1987.[37][38]

SSP Brar and his junior, SSP KRS Gill, were both killed while jogging at Patiala's National Institute of Sports. Both of them had little security. Two men in tracksuits approached them at 7 a.m. They signaled to a third person who pulled out an AK-47. Brar was killed instantly by a bullet hitting his temple, “sending his skull flying”.[38] Gill attempted to flee to a police jeep, but was injured with bullets in his head and back. He would die while fleeing and fell on the ground face first. The three killers fled on a motorcycle.[39]

Brar and Gill were top officers. There killing was described as the biggest killing since that of AS Atwal in Punjab. It was also described as a big killer of police morale.[38] Brar had been held as the best police officer. Brar had cleaned the Babbar Khalsa out of Patiala, but in doing so had been accused of committing extrajudicial executions.[40] According to Chief of Punjab Police at the time J.F Ribeiro Brar would have become the chief of police had he not been killed.[41]

On January 22, 1988 BJP Punjab Vice-Presidnet Khushi Ram Sharma was shot dead with 4 bullets in Ludhiana by 2 Sikh on scooters. Avtar’s Lieutenant General Budhsinghwala claimed responsibility in a letter on behalf of KLF.[42]

On the same day 6 KLF members armed with AK-47s shot dead 12 people in a park in Barnala. 5 others were injured. One of them was a Shiv Sena worker. Avtar’s Lieutenant General Budhsinghwala claimed responsibility in a letter on behalf of KLF.[42]

In 1988 Avtar Singh Brahma and fellow militants attacked and destroyed CRPF bases in retaliation for CRPF actions at Brahampur.[43]

In April 1988 KLF led an attack on Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Professor Darshan Singh. Tohra was president of SGPC and Darshan was the SGPC appointed Jathedar of the Akal Takht.[44][45] The attack was led by Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala, one of Avtar Singh’s lieutenant-generals.[18] At a SGPC meeting at Ludhiana University KLF members under Budhsinghwala snuck their way in using fake ids. They attacked and fought Tohra and Darshan’s security. 5 police officers and 8 members of Tohra and Darshan’s party were killed. No KLF member was killed but Tohra and Darshan managed to escape unhurt.[46][47][48] A motive for attacks on Tohra could be the belief of militants that Tohra was involved in Operation Blue Star.[49]

On June 19, 1988, under Brahma and other KLF members gunned down the head of the Punjab Shiv Sena, Ramkat Jalota. He was killed along with his gunmen and another.[50][51][52]The Shiv Sena had used violence against Sikhs which made them targets of Sikh militants.[53]

Avtar Singh has been reputed for never attacking civilians.[3]

Death and aftermath

Avtar Singh Brahma was killed on July 22, 1988 in Village Chak no 45 F in tehsil Sri Karanpur in District Sri Ganganagar Rajasthan . He was killed in an encounter near the Pakistan border. One source has described his death as happening in, "mysterious circumstances..."[54] Another says that before Avtar Singh's death he, "scamper[ed] through the verdant fields of Punjab's border district on horseback."[55] His death caused outrage among rural Sikh as he was quite popular amongst them.[56] Avtar Singh had become known as a Robin Hood figure. He is said to have commanded respect until the end.[3] Avtar Singh was succeeded by Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala[57] one of Avtar Singh's lieutenant generals.[58]

References

  1. ↑ "Details of Militant Leader Avtar Singh Brahma". Khalistan Extremism Monitor. 2021-06-21. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  2. ↑ "Sikh Kharkus leaders of the 20th Century". Sikh24.com. 2013-10-23. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Singh, Birinder Pal (2002). Violence as Political Discourse. Indian Institute of Advanced Study. p. 205. ISBN 978-81-7986-006-9.
  4. ↑ Singh, Birinder Pal (2002). Violence as Political Discourse. Indian Institute of Advanced Study. p. 205. ISBN 978-81-7986-006-9.
  5. ↑ "Personal and criminal records of Avtar Singh Brahma | KEM". Khalistan Extremism Monitor. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Link: Indian Newsmagazine. 1987. p. 24.
  7. ↑ Singh, Pashaura; Fenech, Louis E. (2014-03-27). The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. OUP Oxford. p. 379. ISBN 978-0-19-100411-7.
  8. ↑ Chima, Jugdep S. (2010-03-11). The Sikh Separatist Insurgency in India: Political Leadership and Ethnonationalist Movements. SAGE Publishing India. ISBN 978-93-5150-953-0.
  9. 1 2 3 4 ਖਾੜਕੂ ਯੋਧੇ in Punjabi by Maninder Singh Baja
  10. ↑ "Shaheed Bhai Balwinder Singh DC – 1984 Tribute". www.1984tribute.com. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Sikh terrorists gun down bus-load of passengers in Punjab, Delhi mobs react against Sikhs". India Today. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  12. ↑ Dhillon, Kirpal (2006-12-22). Identity and Survival: Sikh Militancy in India 1978-1993. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-93-85890-38-3.
  13. ↑ Ribeiro, Julio (1998). Bullet for Bullet: My Life as a Police Officer. Viking. p. 283. ISBN 978-0-670-87871-0.
  14. ↑ Vas, Lt Gen EA; Kathpalia, Lt Gen PN; Bakshi, G. D.; Kanwal, Gurmeet; Rockall, George; Kaushik, Brig OP; Saksena, Col KP; Tiwathia, Maj Vijay; Joshi, Dr Manoj (1987-07-01). Indian Defence Review July-Dec 1987 (Vol 2.2). Lancer Publishers. ISBN 978-81-7062-029-7.
  15. ↑ India Today. Living Media India Pvt. Limited. 1986. p. 35.
  16. ↑ India Today Volume 11, Issues 13-24. Living Media India Pvt. Limited. 1986. p. 23.
  17. ↑ "I have nothing to do with extremists: Major Singh Uboke". India Today. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  18. 1 2 Marwah, Ved (1997). Uncivil Wars: Pathology of Terrorism in India. HarperCollins. p. 211. ISBN 978-81-7223-251-1.
  19. ↑ Asien (in German). Deutsche Gesellschaft für Asienkunde. 1988. p. 45.
  20. ↑ Singh, Harjinder (2008). Game of Love. Akaal Publishers. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-9554587-1-2.
  21. ↑ Dhillon, Kirpal (2006-12-22). Identity and Survival: Sikh Militancy in India 1978-1993. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-93-85890-38-3.
  22. ↑ Marwah, Ved (1997). Uncivil Wars: Pathology of Terrorism in India. HarperCollins. p. 211. ISBN 978-81-7223-251-1.
  23. ↑ India Today. Living Media India Pvt. Limited. 1988. p. 26.
  24. ↑ "Punjab's volatile political scenario turns worse with series of bloody developments". India Today. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  25. ↑ IDSA News Review on South Asia/Indian Ocean. Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. 1987. p. 252.
  26. ↑ Link: Indian Newsmagazine. 1987. p. 24.
  27. ↑ "The Forum Gazette Vol. 2 No. 2 January 20-February 5, 1987 by Sikh Digital Library - Issuu". issuu.com. 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  28. ↑ IDSA News Review on South Asia/Indian Ocean. Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. 1987. p. 252.
  29. ↑ "Sikh extremists assassinated an army officer who took part..." UPI. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  30. ↑ "जिम्मेदारी ली". Punjab Kesri.
  31. ↑ Singh, Harjinder (2008). Game of Love. Akaal Publishers. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-9554587-1-2.
  32. ↑ "Police: Three Dead, Five Injured In Sikh Terrorist Attack". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  33. ↑ Baja, Maninder Singh (2016). ਅਮਰ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਜੰਟ ਸਿੰਘ ਬੁੱਧਸਿੰਘਵਾਲਾ (in Punjabi) (1st ed.). Damdami Taksal. p. 74. ISBN 978-93-85397-02-8.
  34. ↑ IDSA News Review on South Asia/Indian Ocean. Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. 1987. p. 1761.
  35. ↑ Singh, Harjinder (2008). Game of Love. Akaal Publishers. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-9554587-1-2.
  36. ↑ "Commissioner of Police shares festivities with martyr DSP's family". 2023-06-06. Archived from the original on 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  37. ↑ Jaruhar, Manjari (2022-07-25). Madam Sir: The Story of Bihar's First Lady IPS Officer. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-93-5492-677-8.
  38. 1 2 3 "ਪਟਿਆਲਾ ਦੇ ਦੋ ਐਸ. ਐਸ. ਪੀ. ਦਾ ਕਤਲ". Ajit. December 15, 1987. p. 1.
  39. ↑ "Terrorists kill senior Punjab IPS officers Avinder Singh Brar and K.R.S. Gill". India Today. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  40. ↑ "Terrorists kill senior Punjab IPS officers Avinder Singh Brar and K.R.S. Gill". India Today. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  41. ↑ "Man who would have led Punjab Police one day".
  42. 1 2 The Indian Express. The Indian Express.
  43. ↑ India Today. Living Media India Pvt. Limited. 1988. p. 26.
  44. ↑ Sandhu, Kanwar (1 June 2014). "Punjab was scorched 30 summers ago, the burn still hurts". Complications. The Tribune. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  45. ↑ Chima, Jusdep Singh (2010). The Sikh Separatist Insurgency in India. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd. p. 141. ISBN 9788132103028.
  46. ↑ "Rediff On The NeT: Pakistan sabotaged Khalistan movement: Manjinder Issi". m.rediff.com. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  47. ↑ Link. United India Periodicals. 1990. p. 16.
  48. ↑ Asian Bulletin. APACL Publications. 1990. p. 52.
  49. ↑ "Sikh leader wounded, two killed in militant ambush". UPI. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  50. ↑ WSN. "Fourteen Killed In Bomb Attack In Kurukshetra". SIKH HERITAGE EDUCATION. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
  51. ↑ Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | India: Information for 1988 and since 1992 on the Shiv Sena in Punjab, especially on its current status, its activities, whether its members are harassed and arrested by Sikh police officers; and on whether its members are involved in incidences of violence against Sikhs". Refworld. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
  52. ↑ The Illustrated Weekly of India. Times of India. 1989. p. 31.
  53. ↑ Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | India: Information pertaining to a Hindu organization Shiv Sena operating in the Punjab (was it banned? when? why? treatment of its members by militant Sikhs and government authorities)". Refworld. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
  54. ↑ Pettigrew, Joyce (1995-04-27). The Sikhs of the Punjab: Unheard Voices of State and Guerilla Violence. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-85649-355-0.
  55. ↑ Crenshaw, Martha (2010-11-01). Terrorism in Context. Penn State Press. p. 397. ISBN 978-0-271-04442-2.
  56. ↑ Kaur, Mallika (2020-01-14). Faith, Gender, and Activism in the Punjab Conflict: The Wheat Fields Still Whisper. Springer Nature. p. 222. ISBN 978-3-030-24674-7.
  57. ↑ "Death report exaggerated". The Independent. London. 1992-08-29. Retrieved 2010-05-07.
  58. ↑ Singh, Harjinder (2008). Game of Love. Akaal Publishers. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-9554587-1-2.

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