Shaheed Bhai Harminder Singh Uppal alias Minda

Babbar Khalsa

Bhai Harminder Singh Uppal was born on 30th August 1963, in the house of Sardar Dilbagh Singh and from the womb of Mata Harbhajan Kaur. The family of Sardar Dilbagh Singh lived on Pati Railway Road, in Jamsher Khas village, district Jalandhar. Bhai Minda was the second eldest of 4 brothers and 2 sisters, eldest Bhai Jatinder Singh, Bhai Harminder Singh Minda, Bhai Gurminder Singh, Bibi Rajwinder Kaur, Bibi Hardeep Kaur and youngest Bhai Harpreet Singh. Bhai Minda was born in a Gursikh Uppal family. Sardar Dilbagh Singh only had small land and worked in the private sector. Bhai Minda had studied up to 10th class at the local government school in Jamsher Khas. Bhai Minda was a brave young man with a well built and a strong body. Bhai Minda lived a very blissful Gursikh life and always helped the poor and the unprivileged people.

Bhai Minda was a very religious man, and before taking Amrit from the Panj Pyare, he would regularly do selfless service at the Shiv Mandir situated near the family house. In the year 1980, Bhai Minda passed 10th class, and after Sardar Dilbagh Singh helped him open a tent house business. But a spirit that is connected to Akaalpurakh, never settle within worldly works. Bhai Minda paid more interest in Gurbani and Katha than his business. Whenever there was any Gurbani Katha/ Kirtan Smagam in his area, Bhai Minda would close his shop to attend the Smagam.

In 1982/ 83, when Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale started the Dharam Yudh Morcha for the equal rights for minorities of India, Bhai Minda took part in giving his voluntary arrest and attending Sri Manji Sahib to listen to the speeches of Sikh leaders including Sant Ji. In 1984, Bhai Minda attained the blessing of Amrit from the Panj Pyare after listening to the views of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale. After attending Sri Harimandir Sahib regularly, Bhai Minda became very close to the Singhs of Akhand Kirtani Jatha, and from here he started attending Rehnsbhai Smagams. During this time, Bhai Minda had met the prominent Jhujaru Singhs of Babbar Khalsa.

In his life journey, Bhai Minda was also joined by another Jhujaru Singh of Jamsher Khas, Bhai Ajmer Singh had become like a religious brother of Bhai Minda and both attended Smagams together.

In June 1984 Sri Harimandir Sahib was attacked by the Indian army, in which countless brave Singhs and Singhnia attained martyrdom. This attack on the Sikh throne, Sri Akaal Takht Sahib had changed the future of the Sikh youth of Punjab. After this attack, Bhai Minda’s life had also changed. The foundation of Khalistan was laid and after the attack, the Sikh nation started the armed struggle for Khalistan. Bhai Minda also became a part of this struggle.

Bhai Minda became very active with the Jhujaru Singhs of All India Sikh Student Federation (AISSF) in his area. Bhai Minda was joined by Bhai Ajmer Singh Jamsher Khas and Bhai Balwinder Singh Kangniwal, who did immense service to Khalistan shoulder to shoulder. Eventually Bhai Minda started doing Jhujaru actions for Babbar Khalsa under the command of Bhai Makhan Singh of Sandhu Chatha village. Bhai Minda believed in keeping his identity secret when doing Jhujaru actions and did not let anyone find out about his Jhujaru life in the area.

In the days of May 1987, Bhai Minda was doing a driving job for a family in a nearby village of Kadianwal. Bhai Balwinder Singh Kangniwal was also working alongside Bhai Minda, and both Jhujaru Singhs were staying in the Kadianwal village. Both Jhujaru Singhs had also done many actions in secret under the Babbar Khalsa in secret. Somehow the police had established Bhai Minda’s involvement with Babbar Khalsa. Eventually on 31st May 1987, the Punjab police arrested Bhai Minda and Bhai Balwinder Singh Kangniwal. Both Jhujaru Singhs were blindly tortured for information and the police force had no vail, they resorted to staging a fake encounter by the riverside of Jaito and making both, Bhai Harminder Singh Uppal alias Minda and Bhai Balwinder Singh Kangniwal martyrs of Khalistan. The families were not given the bodies of the Shaheed Singhs. Sardar Dilbagh Singh and Mata Harbhajan Kaur were only shown the photo of their son’s dead body.

Note: Shortly after the martyrdom of Bhai Minda his religious brother, Bhai Ajmer Singh of Jamsher Khas also attained martyrdom in a failed bomb blast at the Friend Cinema in Jalandhar on 2nd June 1987.

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Harminder Singh Uppal alias Minda