Shaheed Bhai Gurbhog Singh Bhoga

Babbar Khalsa

“Dhan Hai Babbar Gurbhog Singh, Tu Dhan Hai”

In the Sikh struggle started by Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale, the village of Bhanme Kalan has had its three sons made shaheed. The Chalda Chakarvarti Vaheer Dal of Bhai Talwinder Singh Parmar Babbar has created many Sikh lions and lionesses through its projects of awareness. Bhai Gurbhog Singh Bogha Babbar was also one of the warriors coloured in the colours of Amrit, who was a follower of Sikh code of conduct and never missed his daily nitnem.

Bhai Gurbhog Singh Babbar was named Bogha by the loved ones. Bhai Sahib was born form the womb of Mata Jal Kaur and in the house of Sardar Bachan Singh in the village of Bhanme Kalan. Holding the finger of his father, Bhai Sahib walked the streets of Bhanme Kalan. The family told us, Bhai Sahib was a close friend of Bhai Bashir Mohammed alias Bhai Lachman Singh Babbar, they both had studied and played Kabbadi together. The first time Mansa police arrested Bhai Sahib was when he was in 8th class. Bhai Sahib was arrested in connection the forcing of curfew at a local bazaar. As Bhai Sahib answered back to the Thanedar of Mansa, Gurnam Singh, the police brutally beat Bhai Sahib up. Bhai Sahib was the first sewadar of Babbar Khalsa in the district of Sangrur and Barnala. At the age of 17 years, Bhai Sahib left home an June-July and joined the singhs of Babbar Khalsa. Bhai Sahib completely understood the guerrilla warfare side of the movement and explained that to his friends and fellow singhs. Bhai Sahib had created many underground bases to accommodate the Khadku Singhs of his area.

One of the role models of Bhai Sahib was Shaheed Bhai Kartar Singh Sarabha. Bhai Sahib used to say that Khalistan is the only solution to the problems of Sikh people. When Bhai Sahib went underground, the police started harassing the family. The police from different districts as well as different states would regularly raid Bhai Sahib’s house. Sometimes the police would come to the family house 2-3 times a day. The police would also at times arrest Bhai Sahib’s whole family and burn the crops in the family farms. While in the police custody, the local villagers would look after the farms of the family. Then in the end the singhs of Babbar Khalsa killed many police informants in the area of Bhai Sahib and also burnt their crops too, this gave Bhai Sahib’s family some space to breath.

Once the family started being harassed again by the police, they stood up to the police b breaking their vehicles and ripping the uniforms of the police. Inspector Sharma did not like this insult of his officers and physically hit Mata Jal Kaur as well as swearing at her with unimaginable words. Bhai Sahib’s father, Sardar Bachan Singh had attained shaheedi due to the blind torture if the police, plus the brothers of Bhai Sahib were left unable to walk due to the inhuman torture of the police. Bhai Sahib’s younger brother, Bhai Jarnail Singh started staying away from home to avoid the torture of the police, but now the police was harassing the family even more, as they thought Bhai Jarnail Singh has also joined the Sikh Freedom Movement. Three years after Bhai Sahib’s shaheedi, the local panchayat persuaded Bhai Jarnail Singh to turn himself into the police and after some enquiries the police would release him. But soon as the police got their hands on Bhai Jarnail Singh, they electrocuted him so much that his head had burnt.  The family sold their land to bail Bhai Jarnail Singh out but the police wanted more and more, the family gave 3 lakh rupees more to the police. The police still did not give Bhai Jarnail Singh back to the family. The family had tried every court and every panthic leader as well as political leaders, but nothing positive resulted. The police said one thing to the family, which was that Bhai Jarnail Singh had escaped from police custody. The family till today have not done the last Ardas for Bhai Jarnail Singh and they still wish for his return.

Also after the shaheedi of Bhai Sahib, his sister was to be married. Close friends and fellow singhs from Babbar Khalsa fulfilled a brother’s role and gathered money to financially support the wedding of Bhai Sahib’s sister. The police were informed of the family receiving money from singhs to marry their daughter and the police once again arrested the whole family. All the money and the furniture which was to be given to Bhai Sahib’s sister for her new home was taken by the police. This left the whole family traumatized.

On 4th June 1990, Bhai Sahib was unarmed and waiting for someone at a restaurant in the village of Tappe Kanchian. All of a sudden some known black cats and police officers also stopped at this restaurant to have tea. Bhai Sahib saw the black cats and quickly hid in the nearby water pipes, but the black cats noticed Bhai Sahib and couldn’t find him again. An electric mechanic gave the black cats a sign, which Bhai Sahib saw. Soon the black cats and Punjab police started moving towards Bhai Sahib. Bhai Sahib knew he could not defend himself against the guns of the police and swallowed a capsule of Sy-Nyde. Bhai Sahib attained shaheedi but the police still blasted bullets into Bhai Sahibs shaheedi saroop, to make the whole thing look like an intense encounter. The black cats and the police felt so brave shooting a dead body of a Sikh warrior of Babbar Khalsa.

Tavareekh Babbar Khalsa – Karamjit Singh Sikhanwala