Shaheed Bhai Hardyal Singh Dhola

Babbar Khalsa

Bhai Hardyal Singh Dhola was born in the house of Sardar Jagir Singh and from the womb of Mata Balvir Kaur, in the village of Waris Wala Jattan, near Makhu. Bhai Sahib was the third eldest of three brother and two sisters. Sardar Jagir Singh’s family were Gursikhs and made an honest living from their farms. Bhai Sahib studied up to 10th class at a government school in Peer Mohammed village. As well as studying Bhai Sahib would also help his father on the family farms. Bhai Sahib had completed his Gurbani Santhaya and would regularly do Rauls of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj at Gurudwaras. In the year of 1968, Bhai Sahib was married to Bibi Harjinder Kaur, Bhai Sahib had three sons, Bhai Nirmal Singh, Bhai Ranjit Singh and Bhai Manjit Singh. Prior to 1984 Bhai Sahib was an active member of the Farmers Union.

In June 1984, the Indian army attacked Sri Harimandir Sahib to suppress the voice of the Sikhs, thousands of innocent Sikh pilgrims were killed including children, women and the elderly. Bhai Sahib saw this massacre of death dance upon the Sikhs. After the attack in June 1984, Bhai Sahib went to Sri Akaal Takht Sahib and saw the Sikh throne in ruins, and like any other Sikh, Bhai Sahib’s eyes were filled with tears. Because Bhai Sahib was a Granthi Singh, Bhai Sahib would do Sri Akhand Paath Sahibs at Shaheedi Smagams and this is how Bhai Sahib met the Jhujaru Singhs of the Sikh Freedom Movement.

In the year of 1989, the Sikh Freedom Movement was in full swing and Bhai Sahib also decided to join his Jhujaru brothers on the battlefield. Bhai Karaj Singh Peer Mohammed was a well known Jhujaru Singh in Bhai Sahib’s area. Bhai Sahib knew Bhai Karaj Singh Peer Mohammed from before and had established good relation with him. So in 1989 Bhai Sahib joined the Babbar Khalsa under the command of Bhai Karaj Singh Peer Mohammed. In this group Bhai Sahib remained in high spirits and continued to install fear into the enemy’s heart. Bhai Sahib was very much loved by fellow Jhujaru Singhs and the Singhs of Babbar Khalsa nicknamed Bhai Sahib, Dhola. During Bhai Sahib’s life in the movement, he helped many poor families marry their daughters, by finding a good groom or by financially supporting the families. Bhai Sahib was very much loved by the locals.

On 13th January 1991, Bhai Sahib came home to meet his family as it was Lohri. At night Bhai Sahib went to Bhai Karaj Singh’s house in the village of Peer Mohammed to spend the night there. All together there were eight Jhujaru Singhs at the house of Bhai Karaj Singh Peer Mohammed. The police were hungry to capture Bhai Sahib, and an informant gave the police information they had been waiting for. Within hours the Indian security forces including the Punjab Police and CRPF surrounded the house were Bhai Sahib and his fellow Jhujaru Singhs were staying at. As the Indian security forces were cordoning off the area the Singhs realised they were surrounded. The Jhujaru Singhs started an encounter and Bhai Sahib and the Jhujaru Singhs were able to escape with the help of Bhai Sahib, but during this encounter Bhai Sahib was shot. Bhai Sahib told the Jhujaru Singh to escape as it was here where Bhai Sahib would attain Shaheedi. Bhai Sahib climbed up a tree and continued to battle against the enemy as his fellow Jhujaru brothers escaped. During the battle Bhai Sahib killed many CRPF soldiers, in the end when Bhai Sahib’s ammunition had finished he swallowed a Sy-Nyde capsule and attained Shaheedi.

After the Shaheedi of Bhai Sahib, the locals over powered the ISF and managed to get the Shaheedi saroop of Bhai Sahib. Bhai Sahib was bathed and cremated by the local Sikh sangat of this village. Thousands of Sikhs from the surrounding areas attended Bhai Sahib’s cremation to pay their last respect to the brave fallen soldier of Khalistan.

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Hardyal Singh Dhola