Bhai Kehar Singh, son of Bhai Jhanda Singh, resident of village Khemonana (district Ludhiana), was one of the passengers of the Komagatamaru ship. Komagatamaru ship reached Vancouver on May 21, 1914. The passengers were not allowed to land. After a struggle of about 2 months, the ship left Vancouver for Calcutta on July 24, 1914. It reached Budge Budge (about 7 km from Calcutta), on September 29, 1914, at about 11 A.M. When the ship reached there the police put siege to the passengers. In the evening the passengers tried to leave Budge Budge to make a visit to the Gurdwara at Calcutta. The police tried to stop them. The passengers did not bother and began moving with Guru Granth Sahib amidst them. At this the police opened fire. Bhai Kehar Singh was one of the 18 who were killed by police firing.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)