Shaheed Bhai Akbar Singh Kalian Sakatran

Bhindranwala Tigers Force of Khalistan

For the freedom of the Sikhs and a free homeland of the singhs a movement was started by Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale in which the singhs of Kalian Sakatran, Majha are amongst the warriors that have contributed the most. It is amongst such Jhujaru Singhs of Kalian Sakatran, the name of Shaheed Bhai Akbar Singh is mentioned. Bhai Akbar Singh was born in the house of Sardar Lakha Singh and from the womb of Mata Resham Kaur in the year of 1971, in village of Kalian Sakatran, district Amritsar.

Bhai Sahib was the eldest of 6 brothers, Bhai Chanan Singh, Bhai Saraj Singh, Bhai Gursahib Singh, Bhai Kala Singh and Bhai Sher Singh. Bhai Sahib was a man of principles and made everyone aware of his views of pro-Sikh rights. When every village of Punjab talked about the Dharam Yudh Morcha and the demand of equal rights by Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale, Bhai Sahib gathered many youths from his village and started visiting Sri Harimandir Sahib to do darshan and listen to the speeches of Sant Ji. The views of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale filled the Sikh youth with the will to fight for their basic human rights. Bhai Sahib started to think above just the household responsibilities. Watching the injustices that the Hindu government were committing on the Sikhs was slowly pushing Bhai Sahib onto the path of Jhujaru Singhs.

In June 1984 the Indian government sent their tanks and cannons to Sri Harimandir Sahib to crush the free voice of the Sikhs and killed many innocent Sikh pilgrims, during the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib the Indian army attacked another 37 historical gurudwaras also killing even more innocent Sikhs. During the attack, youths from Kalian Sakatran including Bhai Sahib started making their way towards Sri Harimandir Sahib but near Bir Baba Budha Ji Gate on Gt Road the army was sending Sikhs who wanted to enter Amritsar back.  Bhai Sahib and fellow singhs were unarmed and returned back home. But the singhs did not return back home for another 15 days, no one knows where the singhs were for 15 days. All this had a deep impact on Bhai Sahib that changed him. Bhai Sahib could not sleep at night and could not concentrate during the day as he was always thinking about the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib. Bhai Sahib and fellow singhs had sworn to die guarding the Sikhi.

When the youths of Kalian Sakatran stepped into the Sikh Freedom Movement, Bhai Sahib helped them in secret by moving weapons across the border. Due to Kalian Sakatran being right on the border of India and Pakistan, the youth here knew of routes and loop holes of the border. It is said first Bhai Avtar Singh Brahma, Bhai Durga Singh Arifke and Bhai Buta Singh Sursinghwala gave the singhs the sewa of shifting weapons across the border, then later other freedom fighting groups also asked the singhs of Kalian Sakatran for help. Bhai Sahib did sewa for Bhindranwala Tigers Force of Khalistan under the command of Bhai Sukhwinder Singh Sangha and at times did sewa with Khalistan Commando Force under the command of Bhai Paramjit Singh Panjwar. The mission of these singhs was to achieve a free homeland of the Sikhs, when an action was to happen in the area all the singhs got together. Bhai Sahib, Bhai Swaran Singh Granthi and Bhai Shalwinder Singh were all cousins. Singhs from villages such as Thathi Jaimal Singh, Dholan, Duhal and Valtoha were always close to each other. They would attack the headquarters of CRPF, blow jeeps of the Indian security forces and attacking any sort of base that belonged to the Indian security forces. Bhai Sahib was assigned to the border mission and looking at his bravery, Bhindranwala Tigers Force of Khalistan’s Bhai Sukhwinder Singh Sangha gave Bhai Sahib the rank of Area Commander in the border area.

The Punjab police got information of Bhai Sahib’s involvement in Jhujaru actions and started raiding the family house. The seniors of the village told the police that if they continue to harass Bhai Sahib’s family, they will push Bhai Sahib’s brothers into leaving home and maybe joining the Jhujaru Singhs. They also pointed out that Bhai Sahib was stubborn and would not present himself to the police while he’s alive, he will only attain martyrdom in a battlefield.

To somehow control the singhs of Kalian Sakatran, the Indian government of India decided to make a base of Border Security Force (BSF) in the village, but the singhs of Guru Gobind Singh JI Maharaj planned to attack the base and take all the weapons that belonged to the BSF. Bhai Swaran Singh Granthi, Bhai Surjit Singh Jhakkar got all their fellow singhs together which included Bhai Sahib attacked the BSF base at midnight. The singhs were firing at the BSF base and shouting war cries of Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akaal, Khalistan Zindabaad. Bhai Sahib and few more singhs entered into the BSF base, so they could start collecting the weapons that belonged to the BSF. In this fierce battle Bhai Sahib was shot by a BSF soldier and attained shaheedi on the spot, on the other hand 5 BSF soldiers were also killed by the singhs. In the morning more reinforcements came, but the singhs had escaped by then and the body of Bhai Sahib was taken to the village and identified as Bhai Akbar Singh Kalian Sakatran. The family were not given the body of Bhai Sahib, the body had a post-mortem and later cremated in secret by the police.

In memory of Shaheed Bhai Akbar Singh Kalian Sakatran, a Sri Akhand Paath Sahib of Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj was done by the family at their house. This is how Bhai Akbar Singh attained shaheedi fighting the enemy and forever became immortal in the Sikh history.

Khadku Yodhe 2 – Maninder Singh Baja