Shaheed Bhai Dilbagh Singh Behla

In the Tarn Taran area, there is a village, Behla. In Behla, Sd. Arlok Singh, a farmer had two sons, Dilbagh Singh and Surjeet Singh. Because Dilbagh Singh was of a religious minded, he left his family in 1980 and began to stay with the Kar Seva Babas. His family tried to bring him back many times, but he refused outright. In the end, the family was forced to accept his decision.

When in 1981 the Dharam Yudh Morcha was reaching its climax, Sant Jarnail Singh Ji personality was coming into the spotlight and young Sikhs were being drawn to him. While staying with the Kar Seva Babas, Dilbagh Singh found out about Sant Jarnail Singh and left to join him. The Kar Seva Babas complained to Sant jee that he had stolen their sewadars, but Sant jee replied, “I didn’t go and bring them here. If they go with you, then you can take them.” The Babas tried with all their effort to convince the young Singhs to come back, but who could convince them? Dilbagh Singh and his friends stayed with Sant Jarnail Singh. Because of Dilbagh Singh the entire Behla family became close to Sant Jarnail Singh jee. Fifteen year old Surjeet Singh (Behla) also began to go to Darbaar Sahib. When Surjeet Singh Behla returned after three months in Ferozpur Jail due to having given his arrest in the Morcha, Sant Jarnail Singh patted him on the back and said, while motioning to his older brother, “Ok young lion, we’ve made an inseparable bond with this one (Dilbagh Singh), what will you do now?” Surjeet replied, “I’m also here with you Sant jee, you can give me whatever sewa you want.” Then Surjeet Singh also began to assist Sant Jarnail Singh with his brother.

In the middle of 1983, Dilbagh Singh and his two friends Bhai Surat Singh Harchowal and Bhai Resham Singh Booh shot and injured Keval Krishan, the Congress (I) leader of Harchowal. It was well known in the area that Keval Krishan spoke very insultingly about Sant Jarnail Singh. The boys had very poor weapons but they managed to inure Keval Krishan. After this action, the police began to pursue the three immediately and Dilbagh Singh was arrested after being injured. Bhai Resham Singh and Bhai Surat Singh ran into a sugar cane field, which was then surrounded by the police and fired upon. Bhai Surat Singh was injured in the leg and was arrested, while Bhai Resham Singh just barely escaped.

When Sd. Tarlok Singh Behla read about his son’s arrest in the newspaper, he came immediately to meet Sant Jarnail Singh. Tarlok Singh recalls that Sant jee was very upset and called all the Singhs to the roof of Guru Ram Das Langar and in ire said, “Well, if you want to what Dilbagh Singh and others have done, just do your own actions, and then take whatever money you need and just go home…” All the Singhs were standing with hands clasped together and some said “What is our fault? We’ll stay here and obey your orders and serve the Panth.” At first, Sant jee refused to arrange for Dilbagh Singh’s defence but soon his anger cooled. Dilbagh Singh was indicted in three cases, and in the time it took to arrange bail, two more cases were registered. Bhai Tarlok Singh tells us, “When I went to meet Sant Jarnail Singh in these days, he said in sadness, ‘You are following and supporting our Singh Dilbagh Singh at every step. I wish I could repay you for all this.’ After saying this, Sant jee pulled out some money from his pocket and tried to hand it to me. I then said ‘Sant jee, all my money is yours already.’ Then with a sweet rebuke, Sant jee motioned towards a cattle prod and said ‘you see that whip?’ I then said, ‘If your whips hit me, then it would be my good fortune.’ After hearing this, Sant jee became serious and said ‘you should listen to what I say’ In the end, I was forced to take the money. A nice judge dismissed all but one case that was registered on Dilbagh Singh and called the other illegitimate. Tarlok Singh then took his son to Sant jee. Sant jee scolded him sweetly and told him not to repeat his mistake and then allowed him to rejoin him, and Tarlok Singh returned to his village. Soon after this, the Indian Army surrounded Sri Darbar Singh and Bhai Dilbagh Singh Behla along with other Singhs was martyred fighting the Indian Forces.

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Dilbagh Singh Behla