Shaheed Bhai Gurmej Singh Kala

 

Shaheed Bhai Gurmej Singh Kala was born in 1960. In the house of, father Sardar Hari Singh, and from the blessed womb of mother Mata Surjeet Kaur, in the village of Vein Poin near Tanda, district Tarn Taran Sahib. Sardar Hari Singh provided for his family by farming. Shaheed Bhai Dharam Singh of Vein Poin village was Bhai Sahib’s cousin (Chacha’s son), who was a part of the Sikh revolutionary movement.

 

Bhai Gurmej Singh used to work in the Punjab police. However, Bhai Sahib was fired from the job as the Punjab police blamed him for helping the Jhujaru Singhs at the time. After this, the Jhujaru Singhs met up with Bhai Sahib at Khadur Sahib, they helped set up a hotel and restaurant business for Bhai Sahib which really helped him with his finances.

 

Even then, the Punjab police came and arrested Bhai Sahib at his restaurant with the accusation that the Jhujaru Singh were coming to the hotel and restaurant to eat and sleep. However, Bhai Sahib explained that anyone could come to the restaurant as they all were treated like customers, how was Bhai Sahib to know the difference. Bhai Sahib’s family managed to secure a bail for him and he was released, but few days later, the police of Vairowal arrested Bhai Sahib again and this time, they had martyred Bhai Sahib in a false encounter near the river Beas, on 8th October 1987.

 

The news of the false encounter that Punjab police had carried out to eliminate Bhai sahib was printed in the newspapers. Sadly, Bhai Sahib’s body nor any of his belongings were given to the family members.

Bibi Jasbeer Kaur, (daughter of Sardar Pal Singh, of village Bhorchhi near Rajputana, district Amritsar) was the wife of Shaheed Bhai Gurmej Singh Kala. Bhai Gurmej Singh Kala and Bibi Jasbeer Kaur had one daughter who was around 18 months old at the time of Bhai Sahib’s martyrdom.

 

AJIT NEWSPAPER REPORT FRONT PAGE: 9th OCTOBER 1987

AMRITSAR: Amongst 4 militants killed, 2 are named as Gurmej Singh and Baldev Singh. The police recovered 3 303 pistols, 1 rifle, 8 unfired bullets and 8 empty bullets. According to UNI, the SSP of the district Izhar Alam told us the 2 militants, Gurmej Singh and Baldev Singh who were in police custody were being taken to the Beas area to recover more weapons and arrest other militants too. As the police party reached village Kot Mehtab near the police station of Beas, militants attacked the convoy. In this battle both militants who were in police custody were killed. Police told us that both militants had been arrested for the for the murder of DSP of Baba Bakala, Harpal Singh and his son. Both militants were in police custody for questioning.

 

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Gurmej Singh Kala