Shaheed Bhai Harminder Singh Dhillon alias Lala

Sikh Student Federation/ Khalistan Commando Force

Bhai Harminder Singh Lala was born in the house of Sardar Gurdev Singh and from the womb of Mata Surjit Kaur in the village Dalewal, which is not far from village Goraya, district Jalandhar. Mata Surjit Kaur passed away while Bhai Sahib was still a child. Bhai Sahib studied at a local school up till 6th class, then went on to study at JSFH Khalsa Secondary Higher School and after this Bhai Sahib took admission into Ramgharia College of Phagwara and progressed has studies. While studying at college, Bhai Sahib got married with Bibi Harbans Kaur who was originally from village Sarhala, near Bungaya.

The events of 13th April 1978, when the Narakhdharis Killed 13 unarmed Singhs and wound more than 150 Sikhs, had a deep impact on Bhai Sahib, which left him in dismay and wanting justice. In those days Bhai Amrik Singh of All India Sikh Student Federation was getting bigger by the minute, when Bhai Sahib saw and heard the actions of Bhai Satpal Singh Dhillon also from Dalewal and was an active member of Sikh Student Federation Jalandhar, Bhai Sahib took amrit and decided to do sewa for the panth through his hard work and honesty. Bhai Sahib soon became a valued member of the Sikh Student Federation.

When the movement to establish a Sikh Student Federation unit in Phagwara was active, the youth of Sikh Student Federation including Bhai Sahib had many conflicts with Commrade leaders such as Makhan Sandhu and Kulwant Kanti. Eventually Bhai Sahib was arrest for slicing a Commrade under the act of 107 and 51. After the 1984 attack on Sri Harimandir Sahib the Punjab police started arresting Sikh Student Federation workers, but to avoid being arrested many singhs went underground.

After the arrest of singhs associated with the Sikh Student Federation Nakodar branch such as Bhai Harnek Singh Neka, Bhai Paramjit Singh, Bhai Bharpur Singh and Bhai Ravinder Singh, the Head Master of Rurki village, Sukhdev Singh had called the Indian security forces to Dalewal, the Indian security forces took all the belonging from Bhai Satpal Singh Dhillon’s house to Goraya police station and also harassed his family members. After this Bhai Sahib and singhs punished Master Sukhdev Singh on the 3rd day for his betrayal. This action of the singhs made the police even hungrier to capture the Bhai Sahib and group, but the singhs also upped their surveillance of the area.

Towards the end of 1985, the Punjab police managed to arrest Bhai Sahib and for 25 days he was kept in police remand and blindly tortured. Torture tactics such as the Ghotna and electric shocks were performed on Bhai Sahib, but as Bhai Sahib was tortured he remained in Naam Simran and did not give any information on fellow singhs to the police. In the end the police charged Bhai Sahib with 11 cases and until 1988, Bhai Sahib was moved from jail to jail, may it be the central jail of Jalandhar, the security jail of Nabha or even Sangrur.

Even After coming out of jail the Police didn’t get off Bhai Sahib’s back. In 1990, after the Shaheedi of Bhai Satpal Singh Dhillon, Bhai Sahib started doing actions within Khalistan Commando Force, under the command of Chief General Bhai Paramjit Singh Panjwar. Bhai Sahib punished many enemies of the Sikh panth.

Singhs who faught with Bhai Sahib on the battlefield were the likes of Bhai Manjit Singh Billa, Bhai Rashpal Singh Karnanha, Bhai Jasvir Singh Sahbi Aujhla , Bhai Sukhdev Singh Sodhi, Bhai Gurdev Singh, Bhai Sikandar Singh Bhola, Bhai Jagjit Singh Gill, Bhai Kulwinder Singh Pola, Bhai Ranjit Singh Bittu Rurhka Khurad and many more singh faught beside Bhai Sahib.

13th May 1992, an informant had Bhai Sahib surrounded by Indian security forces near the village of Paaslay. A heavy load of firing took place from both sides, the encounter went on for many hours even though Bhai Sahib was wounded he kept on fighting and covered fellow singhs as they escaped. Bhai Sahib fought a bit longer and then attainted shaheedi. Bhai Sahib’s shaheedi in a battlefield was a lesson of courage for other Khadku Singhs who respected the sewa of Bhai Sahib.

Wangar – October 1992