When Sher Singh, son of Ranjit Singh was assassinated on 15th September 1843, then a few hours after Raja Dhian Singh, the Dogra minister, met the same fate. He and Sher Singh was killed by their common enemies, the Sindhianwala Sirdars who destroyed them both.
Dalip Singh, another son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was then installed as Maharaja, with Raja Hira Singh, son of the murdered Dogra Minister, as prime minister.
There was however a party in the kingdom who encouraged Raja Suchet Singh of Samba and Ramnagar who was the brother of Raja Dhian Singh to aspire to the office of minister, and he also had the support of a section of the Khalsa.
On the invitation of those who favoured his claim, Suchet Singh came down front the hills to Lahore on 26th March 1844.
His friends, however, all failed him and next morning he found himself, with only forty-five followers, opposed to a large portion of the Sikh army, under Hira Singh, numbering 20,000 men and 56 guns.
Even then his dauntless courage did not forsake him, and refusing to flee, he and his brave band of heroes charged, sword in hand, into the midst of their foes, and perished to a man.
Hira Singh is said to have shed tears on viewing his uncle's body, and well he might for his own end was also near.
On hearing of his death Suchet Singh's Ranis in Ramnagar placed his turban before them on the pyre and became sati. Same practice was done by his Ranis residing in Samba. He died childless and his fief was merged in Jammu.
