Shaheed Bhai Sher Singh Shera
Edited by: Kharak Singh Jalwehra
Edited by: Kharak Singh Jalwehra
Shaheed Bhai Sher Singh Shera was born in district Kapurthala, in an old city called Hadiabad on 22nd of April, 1964. Hadiabad was his maternal village and not his village.Bhai Sahib's father Bhai Daljeet Singh Khalsa and Mata Rajwant Kaur Khalsa were amritdharis and followed gurmat strictly. Bhai Sahib's mother was a brave Singhni. Like the Puratan Singhnis, after the martyrdom of Bhai Sahib she didn't shed a single tear, instead felt proud that her brave son gave his life for the Sikh Panth.
Bhai Sahib was the oldest from his other three brothers: Balbir Singh, Gursharan Singh and Kulwant Singh. Bhai Sahib completed primary education at a local school in Hadiabad. After passing 8th grade, Bhai Sahib moved to his father's village called Pandhori. The village is now known as Pandhori Sher Singh Wali, even though the villagers named the village after Bhai Sahib, as Sher Singh Wali Pandhori, but it’s not listed under government village list like that. After coming back to Pandhori, Bhai Sahib finished his secondary education at Phagwara. Because of Bhai Sahib's intelligence, he was accepted to Ramgharia College, Phagwara. Bhai Sahib started medical studies.
From a young age, Bhai Sahib made a place in every Sikh organisations's and the Sangat's heart. The Sangat was crying on the martyrdom of Bhai Sahib, but his mother was telling others not to cry and stay within Akal Purakh's hukam (the timeless ones’ will). When Bhai Sahib's parents heard of Bhai Sahib's martyrdom, both his parents did loud Jaikaras. The whole village heard them.
With beautiful eyes and a strong body, Bhai Sahib was unique. The amount of Gurbani that Bhai Sahib recited, gave him so much power that his face would be radiating with light all the time.
When Bhai Sahib got admitted to Ramgharia College, Bhai Sahib witnessed the crimes being commited upon the Sikhs by the government and was shaken by that. During that time, Bhai Sahib met Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and joined Sant Ji in the Dharam Yudh Morcha.
On 20th September 1983, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Bhai Amrik Singh started the struggle. Sant Jarnail Singh clearly stated that he would embrace Sikhs who exacted revenge upon those who were guilty of torturing, killing, or humiliating Sikhs. He said, 'Getting away from there is your job, protecting you here [in the Darbar Sahib complex] is mine. Sher Singh Shera from Phagwara and his Sikh friends took part in it. With much hard work and dedication toward the struggle, Bhai Sahib was announced the leader of Phagwara area. Bhai Sahib started protest against comrades at his college. Because of Bhai Sahib’s growing influence the comrades and police became worried of him.
In June 1984, Indian Government attacked Darbar Sahib. This attack affected the whole Sikh nation not only in Punjab but in other countries too. Bhai Sahib's youngest brother was taken into custody and beaten almost everyday.
In 1986, the Akali's lost the elections and with this election lost, Bhai Sahib and many other protestors were arrested. But even with the change of government, it didn't affect the Jujharoo Singhs (freedom fighters) but police and Indian force's tortures always affected many Jujharoo's families. During that time, Bhai Sahib Ji was accused of many thing (many that they even didn't commit) and was put in Kapurthala Jail.
After his release from jail in 1987, the Jalandhar and Kapurthala police announced Bhai Sahib an outlaw. Because of this, Bhai Sahib could not achieve his medical diploma from Phagwara College. After this Bhai Sahib re-joined the movement and the torture of family members re-began too. With the heavy and brutal harassment by the police, Bhai Sahib's family members were affected physically and mentally. But it didn't affect Bhai Sahib's mother.
Because of Bhai Sahib's hard work, Bhai Sahib was announced as the president of the Sikh Student Federation in 1987. At Kirtan Smagams and college functions, the Sangat was always waiting for Bhai Sahib to speak.
A quote from one of Bhai Sahib's speeches:
"SADA SANGARSH, HAKK, SACH, DHARAM UTE UDHARAT HAI, NA KI IK FIRKE UTE. ASI BHAVE 4 SINGH KIYON NA REH JAIYE ASI SIKHI SIKSHA NAHI SHADNI"
"This struggle, rights, truth is all dependant on our religious teachings. Even if we are left with four Singh, we will never leave our Sikhi principles".
To gather all group's for meetings was the duty of Bhai Sahib. The family of Bhai Sahib always helped them and shared their pain and hapiness.
Martyrdom
Bhai Sahib was arrested with his friend Bhai Bakhtyaar Singh Bathinda walay near Ludhiana. Bhai Sahib was tortured brutally to find out about Bhai Sahib's links with other Sikh groups. The police used all torture techniques, but this Singh of Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj kept saying: waheguru waheguru. A police officer recalls that there were like 9 police men and three officers who torured Bhai Sahib, the nine first went out to drink alcohol. They came back at night in the influence of alcohol. Before they left they had hanged Bhai Sahib naked upside down. After they came, they took him down. They started kicking him at his private parts and then did ghotna torture. But that police officer recalled that Sher Singh kept saying: waheguru, waheguru.
Next morning the newspapers reported that Bhai Sahib and his friend were announced dead by police in an encounter near village Pehnda and Ludhiana Police Station Payal Vikha.
Bhai Sahib's and his friend's bodies were cremated by the police and were noted as unknown bodies in the registered book. Bhai Sahib's martyrdom added another name in the countless others who sacrificed their lives for Sikhi and lived as a Sikh.
