Shaheed Bhai Bhupinder Singh Bhullar

Thousands of Sikhs were awoken by the speeches of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale, amongst these Sikhs was Bhai Bhupinder Singh from the village of Bhullarwala, district Malot. Bhai Sahib was born on 8th April 1962, in the house of Sardar Jugraj Singh Bhullar and from the womb of Mata Jaswant Kaur. Bhai Sahib was the youngest of 3 brothers, Bhai Lakhwinder Singh and Bhai Jagnandan Singh. At a young age Bhai Sahib had taken Amrit from the Panj Pyare at a Smagam in the nearby village of Midhu Khera. Bhai Sahib studied up till 5th class at the local village school and then gave the exam of 10th class at a school in the village of Hakuwala. Bhai Sahib was a very good player of hockey, he played in many tournaments all over India and had won many trophies.

It was during this time that the Dharam Yudh Morcha under the command of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale was picking up its pace. The Sikh youth of Punjab were being pulled towards the righteous cause of saving the principles and values of Sikhi. Due to the hard hitting speeches of reality by Sant Ji, Bhai Sahib also joined the Jatha and started spreading the message of how the Sikhs are treated like the second class citizens. Bhai Sahib united many youth of his area, who then took Amrit. These youths were from surrounding villages such as Pitiwala, Tarmala, Midhu Khera, Patuhi Wala, Bhullarwala, Hakuwala, Kanduwala, Kumlara and Kakhawali. Other than the local villages, Bhai Sahib also preached in areas out of his district.

In February 1984, Bhai Malukh Singh from the village of Hakuwala was killed in cold blooded murder by the Punjab police as he was returning home from Amritsar. The Punjab police had followed Bhai Malukh Singh and finally shot him dead in Hakuwala. Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale speaks of this incident in one of his interviews and says, “They (Punjab police) killed him Malukh Singh. They first which Jatha he belonged to, he replied Bhindranwala, then they asked him to raise his arms, he did not raise his arms and asked for his crime. The police said, your crime is that you said Bhindranwala and now you must raise your hands. In the end Bhai Malukh Singh did not raise his hands and the police shot him dead.” Bhai Sahib got the locals together and held a Sri Akhand Paath Sahib at the location of Bhai Malukh Singh’s shaheedi. In memory of Bhai Malukh Singh the Sikhs built a Gurudwara Sahib in his memory. Bhai Sahib was in-charge of the building work of this Gurudwara.

In April 1984, Bhai Sahib packed his clothes from home and went to Sri Damdama Sahib and from here he went to Sri Darbar Sahib. Bhai Sahib had sent a message home via the locals saying that he is going to Amritsar to live.

As the time of attack on Sri Harimandir Sahib was getting close, the conditions of Punjab were getting serious. Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale had started sending singhs home who would fight the next phase of the Sikh struggle for freedom. Sant Ji told singhs, “The darkness is upon us, they may come we might have to eat leaves and live in the jungles, but don’t let that take you off the path of freedom, Maharaj will be beside you always. Continue to recite Gurbani and when time comes Maharaj will take as much sewa he needs from any one of you.” Sant Ji looked at Bhai Sahib and said, “Bhupinder Singh, Akaalpurakh has gifted you the skill of preaching. Anyone who listens to your preaching is moved towards Sikhi.  You should leave from here and continue creating awareness amongst the masses on the outside.” But Bhai Sahib replied, “Sant Ji, I have already done Ardas in front of Dhan Guru Ram Das Ji to attain Shaheedi here at Sri Darbar Sahib, so I’m going to stay here for the completion of my Ardas.”

June 1984, the Indian army attacked Sri Harimandir Sahib and destroyed Sri Akaal Takht Sahib. Bhai Sahib was fighting the invading Indian army. Bhai Sahib fought with great bravery from his assigned bunker and attained shaheedi in the complex. Some days after the attack, Bhai Sahib’s father went to Sri Darbar Sahib where he got the news of his son’s shaheedi, but the family continued to search for Bhai Sahib in various jails of Punjab.

In the end, when the family come into terms of Bhai Sahib’s shaheedi, they held a Sri Akhand Paath Sahib at the Gurudwara of Bhullarwala village and his final Ardas was performed. It was warriors like Shaheed Bhai Bhupinder Singh Bhullarwala, who under the leadership of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale laid the foundation of Khalistan with their blood.

Khalsa Fatehnama – September 2015