Shaheed Bhai Gurmej Singh alias Dalip Singh Babbar

Babbar Khalsa

Bhai Gurmej Singh alias Dalip Singh Babbar was born on 2nd November 1970, to Sardar Sulakhan Singh Pehlwan and Mata Paramjit Kaur in the village of Chachowali, district Amritsar. Bhai Sahib had one brother, Bhai Major Singh Fauji and two sisters, Bibi Gurmeet Kaur and Bibi Gurjeet Kaur. Bhai Sahib came from an affluent farming background. Bhai Sahib completed his 8th class in the government school of village Bhangali Kalan, 9th & 10th class in the village school of Jaintipur, 11th class in Verka and 12th class in Sangrur Jail. After completing 10th class, Bhai Sahib moved to Verka for his 11th class studies. It was during this period that Bhai Sahib got involved with the Khalistan struggle and participated covertly in the Jhujaru activities. Bhai Sahib took Amrit from the Panj Pyare in 11th class from the Akhand Kirtani Jatha. Bhai Sahib was particularly regular in his daily prayers. Bhai Sahib followed the code of conduct of Bibek, he had his meals in iron dishes and continued doing so until he went to jail. Bhai Sahib had learnt 26 prayers by heart.

In his 12th grade, due to his involvement in Khalistan activities, Bhai Sahib was arrested by the Punjab police in December 1988 from his home in village Chachowali at 3 o’clock in the morning. Bhai Sahib was taken to an interrogation centre in Amritsar’s Mal Mandi and was kept there for roughly 15 days, blindly tortured and at the end of this ordeal, Bhai Sahib was accused of three false murder charges (1. Nihang Singh from village Rasulpur, 2. BSF Inspector in village Aliwal and 3. A person from village Leharka) and was sent to Kathunangal jail. Bhai Sahib was also sent to the jails of Ajnala and Fatehgarh. Later Bhai Sahib was sent to Sangrur jail, where he stayed for about 6 months and took exams for his 12th class. Then Bhai Sahib was sent to Nabha jail. After a year, due to relentless efforts of his family, Bhai Sahib was granted bail from the Nabha jail.

But the Punjab police continued to harass Bhai Sahib even after his release. In the year of 1990, Bhai Sahib went to pay his obeisance at Sri Hemkunt Sahib with his fellow village folk.  Meanwhile, a false warrant was generated against him, accusing him of some CRPF blast case. Bhai Sahib had just reached Sri Hemkunt Sahib and the Punjab police had already started harassing his parents and relatives. On his return to Punjab, Bhai Sahib was informed of all the warrants issued against him. Rather than presenting himself at the local police station being arrested for these false cases, Bhai Sahib chose to participate in the Khalistan struggle and joined Bhai Jugraj Singh Toofan’s group, Khalistan Liberation Force. Bhai Sahib stayed with Bhai Toofan for about two months and then went over to Pakistan for arms training. In Pakistan, Bhai Sahib met with Bhai Wadhawa Singh Babbar and the two became good friends. Bhai Sahib trained in Pakistan for a total of 7 months before returning to India.

On his return, Bhai Sahib joined Babbar Khalsa, under the command of Bhai Dharam Singh Kashtiwal and started taking part in Khalistan activities. Bhai Sahib was involved in any actions and took responsibility for the same. The police were terrorised by the mere mention of Bhai Dalip Singh Babbar’s name. On 10th February 1991, Bhai Sahib had his Anand Karaj with Bibi Manjit Kaur (resident of village Verka) and was blessed with a baby boy Bhai Nishan Singh on 29th October 1992 (after Bhai Sahib’s martyrdom). Bhai Sahib was involved in a number of Khalistan activities and actions against the Indian government, among which the following were phenomenal:

  • Bhai Sahib blasted off 2 CRPF vehicles near village Jajoani (near Majitha), which killed 4 CRPF men.
  • Bhai Sahib also blasted 2 CRPF vehicles near Village Talwandi, which killed 7 CRPF men.
  • Bhai Sahib joined 3-4 groups on Jhandowal bridge of Batala city and started taxing all the vehicles passing through, following in the footsteps of Bhai Bota Singh and Bhai Garja Singh. This was an open challenge to the government. The group spent the entire day on the bridge levying taxes and yet, the Punjab police did not dare approach them. Bhai Sahib was also handing a letter written by his group, addressed to the government to the passing crowd. In this way, Batala City experienced Khalsa Raj for a day.

Bhai Sahib had become a known face of the Khalistan struggle, due to his brave and courageous Jhujaru actions. The Indian government was displeased with him and wanted to catch him at any cost. The government announced 5 lakh rupees prize on his head.

In the month of June 1992, Bhai Sahib was sitting beside a road near Batala with two of his companions. Suddenly, Bhai Sahib saw a police caravan approaching them. Bhai Sahib and his two companions opened fire on the police convoy. Many police officers were injured, but since the Jhujaru Singhs were just 3 in number, they fled the scene. Bhai Sahib had been shot in his ankle and his foot was in a delicate condition. Bhai Sahib secretly went to Majitha to get his foot treated and was treated for a full month till his foot recovered. By then, all Bhai Sahib’s family members were picked up by the Punjab police. They were locked up in Amritsar’s interrogation centre at Dana Mandi.

On 15th August 1992, Bhai Gurmej Singh alias Dalip Singh Babbar with one of his close aids was leaving Majitha on a scooter to find a solution for his family’s release and future Jhujaru activities of his group. This close aid, who was riding the scooter, had fallen into the pit of greed for the reward of 5 lakh rupees and had joined hands with the enemy, Punjab police. On their way, the police tout was successful in taking Bhai Sahib right into the trap set by the police. Bhai Sahib was unarmed and the police martyred him instantly by shooting him.  After his death, Bhai Sahib’s father Sardar Sulakhan Singh, who was still in custody at Dana Mandi, was brought in to identify Bhai Sahib’s body which was after cremated at Seetala Mandir, Amritsar, instead of handing over the body to Bhai Sahib’s family.

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Gurmej Singh alias Dalip Singh Babbar