Shaheed Bhai Baljit Singh Bamb

Khalistan Commando Force

In the continuing struggle for Khalistan, Bhai Baljit Singh Bamb attained martyrdom on 5th August 1991, in a fierce encounter which took place at a train crossing between the villages of Takhra and Chachrarhi. Bhai Sahib was born on 24th September 1969, in the house of Sardar Surjit Singh and from the womb of Mata Swaran Kaur in the village of Chak Majra, district Phillaur. Bhai Sahib had 2 older brothers Bhai Kuldeep Singh, Bhai Manjit Singh and 1 young sister, Bibi Surinder Kaur. Bhai Sahib studied his primary education at the local school of Chak Majra and completed his Metric at nearby village. Bhai Sahib was a great athlete and had won silver medals on state level. Bhai Sahib enrolled himself at DAV College of Jalandhar for medical studies and after took admission at the National College of Bunga. Bhai Sahib had taken Amrit from Panj Pyare at the age of 18 years and from here on Bhai Sahib never let go of his daily Nitnem.

When the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib in June 1984 and the killing of thousands of innocents Sikh pilgrims left many Sikhs around the world heart broken, the family of Sardar Surjit Singh was also hurt especially Bhai Sahib. Bhai Sahib made contact with local Jhujaru Singhs and did any Sewa he could for the Sikh nation. Bhai Sahib would call Jhujaru Singhs to his house and do the serve them with Langar. The Jhujaru Singhs had great amount of love and respect for Bhai Sahib and his family. For some time Bhai Sahib continued to do actions with Jhujaru Singhs while still living at home. Bhai Sahib on many occasions requested the Jhujaru Singhs to take him with them, but the Jhujaru Singhs told Bhai Sahib to stay at home and continue to do sewa as long as he can, when it becomes important to leave home than they will take Bhai Sahib with them.

In the early days of February 1989, some enemies of the Sikh nation were gunned down in a nearby village from Chak Majra. The police station was only 50 metres far from the location of the shooting, but as soon as the gun shots were heard the brave Punjab police locked themselves in the police station so that no one can shoot them. The police came out of their holes 45 minutes after shooting had stopped. The shooters had fled the scene and the public had gathered around the dead bodies. When the police came out they started harassing the general public for not stopping the shooters. One of the locals answered back the police by saying, “We were unarmed, you’re the armed police who were not far away from the scene so why didn’t you get here earlier?” The police felt embarrassed and the following day they started raiding houses in the surrounding villages.

When the police raided Bhai Sahib’s house, he was not at home. The police then came to see Bhai Sahib 2/3 times after but still Bhai Sahib was not at home. SHO Ram Murti (Who was killed in a bomb explosion in February 1990 at a training centre in Phillaur) told the family to present Bhai Sahib to him and he assured them that nothing will happen to Bhai Sahib. SHO told the family that he will only question Bhai Sahib and straight away release him after, the family fell for the drama of the SHO. The family along with locals and Panchayat presented Bhai Sahib to SSP Izhar Alam (Known as the butcher of Singhs) of 7th February 1989. SSP Izhar Alam tortured Bhai Sahib along with another 4 Singhs. Bhai Sahib and fellow singhs were charged with false cases of weapons and ammunition. All singhs were sent to jail and later Bhai Sahib was released on bail and came home.

Bhai Sahib had stopped his medical studies and started helping his family in the farms. The police would daily come to Bhai Sahib’s house and fortunately Bhai Sahib stayed out of the enemy’s eyes. On 28th March 1991, Bhai Sahib was coming home from Lasarha village, when the black cats of police arrested him. Inspector Kamaljit Bagga took Bhai Sahib near the village of Behram, here Bhai Sahib witnessed 2 Singhs being shot dead who had been arrested prior to Bhai Sahib’s arrest. When Inspector Kamaljit Bagga turned to Bhai Sahib he said, “Now I’m going to shoot you. To save yourself all you got to do is help me arrest Bhai Kulvir Singh Barapind or Bhai Harminder Singh Lala.” Bhai Sahib thought to himself that he if agrees, he’ll live for now and then try escape from the black cats. And like this Bhai Sahib played along with the black cats and once he got his chance, Bhai Sahib escaped from the hands of the enemy. From here onwards Bhai Sahib never returned home knowing that the police would be hunting him.

Bhai Sahib joined Khalistan Commando Force under the command of Bhai Gurdeep Singh Deepa of Heran village. On 4th August 1991, Bhai Sahib and Bhai Ranjit Singh Bittu were travelling on a motorcycle, when all of a sudden these Jhujaru Singhs were confronted by Indian security forces at the train crossing of Chachrarhi village, the time was roughly 7pm. A fierce encounter started between both sides and in this exchange of bullets, Bhai Sahib was shot in his knee. Bhai Sahib told Bhai Ranjit Singh Bittu that it would be difficult for Bhai Sahib to escape himself but he (Bhai Ranjit Singh Bittu) should escape while Bhai Sahib kept the enemy at bay, but Bhai Ranjit Singh Bittu said, “I will not leave you alone. If we have lived together, than we will die together also.” This conversation between 2 Jhujaru brothers went on for 10-15 minutes. In the end, Bhai Sahib managed to get Bhai Ranjit Singh Bittu to agree on escaping. Bhai Bittu said his final fateh to Bhai Sahib and escaped. Bhai Sahib held the enemy back while Bhai Bittu escaped and in the end, Bhai Sahib attained martyrdom like a true lion of Khalistan.

Bhai Kulvir Singh Barapind, Bhai Harminder Singh Lala and Bhai Ranjit Singh Bittu said that it is very hard to forget brave Jhujaru brothers like Bhai Baljit Singh Bamb, it didn’t hurt as much when leaving home and escaping the harassment of the Indian security forces, to what the news of Bhai Baljit Singh Bamb’s martyrdom.

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Baljit Singh Bamb