Ahmad Khan Kharal

Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal (Urdu: رائے احمد خان کھرَل ‎), also called Amo Kharal (1785-1857) was a Punjabi freedom-fighter and Folk hero, who fought against the British Raj in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Background

Amo Kharal was born in a rich landowning family of the Kharal Rajput Clan in the Sandal Bar region of Punjab, in Jhamara village near Tāndliānwāla Faisalabad District. As a young man he fought against the rising Sikh power led by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Later on, as an old man in his 70s, when the rebellion broke out against the British, he also raised a force to fight against them.

Struggle and death

Amo Kharal was quite successful in helping the local people and keeping them safe from British troops, keeping up a guerilla warfare against them, for some months. On 26 July 1857, Amo Kharal went with a force to attack the Gogera Jail (now in Sahiwal District) to release some of his companions arrested by the enemy, but was ambushed by them and their local allies. Amo Kharal and his assistant, Sarang, were both killed, fighting bravely.

The deeds of this brave and noble warrior are still remembered and sung by Punjabi poets in dholas and vars, types of poems.