Shaheed Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar

Babbar Khalsa

Many thousands of Sikhs didn’t care about dying and fought for Khalistan but one name in particular is of Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar, whose sacrifice stands out of all.

Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar comes from the village of Raipur near Mehta Chowk, district Amritsar. Bhai sahib was born on 7th august 1964 in the house Sardar Jagtar Singh and from the womb of Mata Joginder Kaur. Bhai Sahib was called Bhela by his parents. Bhai Sahib had 2 sisters, Bibi Malkit Kaur, Bibi Gobinder Kaur and a younger brother, Bhai Kirpal Singh. All the brothers and sisters grew up in healthy and a cheerful family. When Bhai Sahib was studying at the ICI College of Batala, his family regularly complaints of Bhai Sahib. Some said Bhai Sahib had a pistol, some said Bhai Sahib meets shady people, some said Bhai Sahib fights at the college and some said Bhai Sahib hangs around with the wrong crowd and will soon end up in trouble. When Bhai Sahib’s mum questioned him, Bhai Sahib would reply, “Biji, this is all lies, they probably don’t like me that’s why they tell you lies about me.” Bhai Sahib would behave but soon would be back to his normal ways. Bhai Sahib would help his younger brother in doing the works of the house; his brother was called Jaj in the household. Bhai Sahib would call his brother with love as Bhai Sahib cared a lot for his younger brother.

Soon without any reason Bhai Sahib had changed and became more mature. Bhai Sahib would always talk about Sikhism and discuss with his mum about the current attacks on Sikhs. The shaheedi of Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke had a deep influence on Bhai Sahib. The police had arrested Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke and tortured him blindly, and then the police killed Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke in a fake encounter. The police said that Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke had escaped from the custody of the police and was killed in an encounter. The whole Sikh nation was in shock upon hearing this injustice of the Indian government. Bhai Sahib would regularly go to visit the family of Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke at the village of Nagoke, while on his way to Amritsar and also do sewa at the gurudwara being built in memory of Shaheed Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke.

Every day that passed, Bhai Sahib would get deeper and deeper into Sikhi. Bhai Sahib’s house was next to the local gurudwara of the village and in the evening all the youth would get together at the gurudwara and talk about stuff. Bhai Sahib would talk about the Sikh Freedom Movement and tell his friends the duty of each Sikh towards the Sikh Freedom Movement but some of the local youth did not like the truth being told. The locals started to think that Bhai Sahib was dangerous and would soon attract trouble. Bhai Sahib would stay away from home for many days but his family knew that their son was not doing anything bad.

In fact Bhai Sahib had become a soldier in the Sikh Freedom Movement and written his name amongst the Khadku Singh who were fighting against the oppression of the Hindu government. From Batala, Bhai Sahib would sometimes go straight to Sri Harimandir Sahib and would stay there for some days. Many youngsters joined Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bindranwale in the battle Sikh human rights. When Mata Joginder Kaur wanted to see her elder son, she would travel to Sri Harimandir Sahib to meet Bhai Sahib and came back home. Bhai Sahib’s mother praised her son for the sewa Bhai Sahib was doing for the panth.

Between 1982-1984, Bhai Sahib met Bhai Anokh Singh of Babbar Khalsa and both singhs did many actions together. All of their actions were done in secret without anyone even getting a hint of whom or what actions were being done. June 1984 the Indian army attacked Sri Harimandir Sahib with tanks and cannons. Bhai Sahib was also fighting in this 20thbattle against the invading Indian army. Bhai Sahib was fight from Nanak Niwas with rest of the singhs. Bhai Sahib along with the singhs of Babbar Khalsa made it out alive to start the armed struggle all over Punjab. After the attack on Sri Harimandir Sahib, Bhai Sahib tried his best to search for the singhs of the Sikh Freedom Movement but had no luck. Bhai Sahib returned home after 13 days of search for the surviving singhs, Mata Joginder Kaur was shocked to her son was still alive, she had presumed that Bhai Sahib had attained shaheedi at Sri Harimandir Sahib. Soon the CRP came to Bhai Sahib’s house and arrested him and took him to the military camp on Mehta Road in Amritsar, but was later released. Not long after Bhai Sahib was arrested again and was taken to the same military camp where Bhai Sahib was tortured. Mata Joginder Kaur told us, that Bhai Sahib blindly tortured and his eyes were so red, as if red chillies were put into his eyes. The family of Bhai Sahib had him released on bail. Bhai Sahib told his mother, Mata Joginder Kaur, “I am not going to keep on suffering from the torture of these cowards, I am going to do something for the panth.” These days the Sikh youth were getting arrested and tortured from the villages of the Majha area. Many of the Sikh youth made their mind up on devoting their lives to the Sikh Freedom Movement.

The attack on Sri Harimandir Sahib had broken the relationship Sikhs had with India. 31stOctober 1984, Bhai Beant Singh and Bhai Satwant Singh punished Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi for her actions against the Sikh nation. The next 4days or the first 4 days of November 1984, innocent Sikhs were killed all over India and Sikh women were gang raped by the extremist Hindu mobs. After these attacks on Sikhs, the whole Sikh nation realised that the Sikh religion could not survive without Khalistan. The Anti-Sikh ways of Indian government made the Sikh youth jump into an armed struggle for the Sikh freedom. Bhai Sahib started his Khadku journey on 6thNovember 1984, when Bhai Sahib along with Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar punished 3 traitors of the Sikhs, who were travelling on a bus to the village of Hothian. After this action the family and close relatives of Bhai Sahib were arrested and kept in custody at the Jandiala police station for 3 months. Families of Bhai Harjinder Singh Jinda, Bhai Bakshish Singh Malowal and families of other Khadku Singhs were also locked up with the family of Bhai Sahib. This was done by the police to pressurize the Khadku Singhs to hand themselves in to the police. Jandiala police station was hated by Khadku Singhs for this reason and had been attacked many times by the singhs of the Sikh Freedom Movement. Bhai Sahib did not let this cowardly act of the police put him the Sikh struggle, Bhai Sahib had met all the singhs from Babbar Khalsa and Sikh Freedom Movement was in full swing.

Bhai Sahib was 1 of the 8 singhs of Babbar Khalsa that had started the Sikh Freedom Movement under the command of Jathedar Bhai Sukhdev Singh. The other 7 singhs were Bhai Gurmeet Singh alias Bhai Sulakhan Singh Babbar, Master Sukhwinder Singh Babbar, Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar, Bhai Avtar Singh Pehlwan, Bhai Sukhwant Singh Heera, Bhai Avtar Singh Para and Bhai Ranjit Singh Tarmika.

Soon all the singhs of Babbar Khalsa started doing actions around India, to open the deaf ears of the Indian government and let them know that Sikhs will not tolerate the injustice. 10thMay 1985, Bhai Sahib, Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar, Bhai Sulakhan Singh Babbar and Bhai Manmohan Singh Babbar carried controlled bomb explosions under the command of Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar and opened the deaf ears of the Hindu government. The areas targeted were where innocent Sikhs were burnt alive and women were gang raped in the anti-Sikh programs, in cities like Delhi, Sirsa, Hasar, Ambala, Kanpur in UP and Alvar in Rajasthan, were all attacked by the singhs of Babbar Khalsa with bomb explosions which left Delhi government shook. The police managed to arrest the bomber of Hasar, Bhai Manmohan Singh alias Bhai Mahinder Singh Babbar, the police tortured him and killed him in a fake encounter. Bhai Sahib, Bhai Gurmeet Singh Happy and Bhai Surjit Singh Kohli alias Manager alias Inspector alias Jagdish alias Karan Singh Kohli, this 3rdsingh had many names but none of them were beside Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar these 3 singhs of Babbar Khalsa had been labelled terrorists by the Tees Hajari Court of Delhi and were wanted dead or alive. The government had possessed their assets, such as houses, farms etc.

The police once again arrested the family and relatives of Bhai Sahib and trashed the house after taking all the valuable items. None of the family members or relatives complained, they all knew that Bhai Sahib was right and was doing sewa for the panth. The whole village supported the family of Bhai Sahib. The truth is, after the 1984 attacks, the whole Sikh nation had united. Khadku Singh could go to any house of a Sikh family and be welcomed and fed by the family. Whenever the police came to arrest Bhai Sahib, he was never found by the police, now the police wanted Bhai Sahib at a cost. The police started searching the houses of Bhai Sahib’s relatives regularly, eventually Bhai Sahib was caught and arrested from the village of Deenanagar on 18thAugust 1985. Bhai Sahib was put into Amritsar Central Jail, Mata Joginder Kaur and young brother Jaj would go to see Bhai Sahib quiet often. Bhai Sahib told his mother, “Biji, don’t command see me in jail, the dogs of the government will harass you after.” Mata Joginder Kaur realised why her son had said this when the news came that Bhai Sahib had escaped jail. Bhai Avtar Singh Pehlwan and Bhai Sukhwant Singh Heera had planned on breaking out Bhai Sahib and Bhai Manjit Singh Babbar. Bhai Sahib and Bhai Manjit Singh Babbar acted ill and were taken to the hospital, Bhai Avtar Singh Pehlwan and Bhai Sukhwant Singh Heera thought that this was the perfect moment free the captured soldiers and attacked the police at the hotel and with the blessings of Waheguru, Bhai Sahib and Bhai Manjit Singh Babbar had escaped the jail of Amritsar.

Singhs of Babbar Khalsa had planned on sending Bhai Sahib to do actions in the Malwa area instead of his local Majha area. Bhai Sahib was sent to the Malwa area to start the Sikh Freedom Movement in Ferozpur, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Bathinda and Patiala. All the Khadku Singhs of were under the command of Bhai Sahib. Bhai Sahib did jokes and also took jokes being done on him. Bhai Sahib was always ready to do action with any singhs of the Sikh Freedom Movement and not just Babbar Khalsa, that’s why all singhs of Sikh Freedom Movement respected Bhai Sahib.

People of Malwa felt the presence of Bhai Sahib on 18thJune 1986. When Thanedar Gurtej Singh Akaanwali alias Khushki was killed by the singhs of Babbar Khalsa. Khushki was well known for torturing and killing innocents Sikhs of Malwa in fake encounters. When Julio Francis Rebeiro became the head of Punjab police and said the bullet of Khadkus will be answered with a bullet, this made Khushki became even more brutal towards the Sikhs. Khushki also had tortured Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala and his older brother Bhai Kulwant Singh Budhsinghwala. Bhai Jagjit Singh Rode, brother of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bindranwale managed free Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala. Khushki had also arrested and tortured the family of Bhai Gurpal Singh Babbar Bucho-Mandi. These cowardly acts of Khushki landed his name on to the hit list of the Babbar Khalsa singhs. All the Khadku Singhs wanted him dead but this action would not be an easy one. Khushki had crossed the limits by insulting, arresting and torturing the brother of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bindranwale, Bhai Veer Singh. This made the singhs of Babbar Khalsa really angry and Bhai Sahib and some singhs started to plan how to punish Khushki but Khushki knew that the Khadku Singhs would attack him so he was always prepared. The singhs had to plan with calmness and not in anger. Bhai Sahib gave the mission of gathering information on Khushki to Bhai Umarpal Singh Behla of Sangrur. Khushki was from Bathinda and Bhai Umarpal Singh Behla opened a shop of electric goods in Bathinda to keep an eye on Khushki and his family. By coincidence the father of Khushki had passed away and hai Umarpal Singh Behla passed the news on to the singhs of Babbar Khalsa. Babbar Khalsa came to kill Khushki, but when singhs saw Khushki, he had the saroop of Guru Granth Sahib Ji on his head taking it to his house for Akhand Paath Sahib, so the singhs bowed down to Guru Granth Sahib Ji and let Khushki live for another day. Bhai Umarpal Singh Behla once again gave the news to the Babbar Khalsa that Khushki will be gathering the ashes of his father at the cemetery. Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar and Bhai Gurpal Singh Babbar Bucho-Mandi surrounded Khushki and let of war cries and killed the person that felt proud of torturing innocent Sikhs. Bhai Balwinder Singh Babbar Ganga and Bhai Bachittar Singh Babbar Dodra gave covering fire and all of the singhs of Babbar Khalsa got away. Thanedar Gurtej Singh Akaanwali alias Khushki was killed by Babbar Khalsa on the 18thJune 1986. The family and bodyguards didn’t dare speak against the Khadku Singhs ever again, but the police once again arrested and tortured the families of Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar and Bhai Gurpal Singh Babbar Bucho-Mandi.

The police did not know what to do, after trying everything they did not manage to get Bhai Sahib. A new singhs had joined the Babbars, Bhai Sukhdev Singh Fauji, he had done sewa with Jathedar Bhai Gurdev Singh Kaunke. When Bhai Sukhdev Singh Fauji was arrested, he was brutally tortured and he gave information to the police of Bhai Sahib and his actions.

17thJuly 1986, after Bhai Sukhdev Singh Fauji gave information to the police, the police searched one of the locations that Bhai Sukhdev Singh Fauji gave and found a Thompson machine gun and ammunition. The police was shocked at seeing this, they though that Babbar Khalsa have better guns then the police and CRP. Also the information Bhai Sukhdev Singh Fauji gave, on 29thJuly 1986 the police arrested Bhai Umarpal Singh Behla and Bhai Karamjit Singh Sikhanwala, writer of Tavareekh Babbar Khalsa, both of the singhs were taken to the Thermal Plant in Batala to be tortured and later at the CIA headquarters of Bathinda. The police started searching the houses of Bhai Sahib, Bhai Gurpal Singh Babbar Bucho-Mandi, Bhai Sulakhan Singh Babbar and Bhai Adheek Singh.

Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar alias Bhala, Mohni and Lakha Babbar had punished many enemies of the Sikhs on the land of Malwa, may it be informants, Narakhdharis or Indian security personnel. The police stations of Malwa locked their gates in fear of the Babbars, even the informants would lock double lock their doors in fear. It’s hard to put into words the sewa Bhai Sahib did for the Sikh nation, Bhai Sahib was unstoppable and never afraid of the hardest actions. Till today the people of Malwa talk about the bravery of Bhai Sahib.

Chief of Malwa Kesri Khalistan Commando Force, Bhai Waryam Singh Khappianwali was killed by the police after the sarpanch of Rode, Joginder Singh informed the police about him. The Faridkot police arrested Bhai Waryam Singh Khappianwali and the head of Faridkot police, Sham Sundar tortured and killed Bhai Waryam Singh Khappianwali. 31stOctober 1986 the police announced that the Chief of Malwa Kesri Khalistan Commando Force, Bhai Waryam Singh Khappianwali was killed in an encounter, when in fact it was fake encounter. Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala was given the command of Malwa Kesri Khalistan Commando Force and Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala swore to punish the people responsible for the shaheedi of Bhai Waryam Singh Khappianwali. Then Bhai Sahib, Bhai Gurpal Singh Babbar Bucho-Mandi and Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala punished Sarpanch Joginder Singh.

Soon the Khadku Singhs of Khalistan Armed Force, Tat Khalsa, Dasmesh Regiment, Malwa Kesri Khalistan Commando Force, Khalistan National Army and other Khadku groups formed unity under one roof of Khalistan Liberation Force. Bhai Avtar Singh Bramha was chosen as the 1stChief of the group and after the shaheedi of Bhai Avtar Singh Bramha, Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala was given the command of Khalistan Liberation Force. Bhai Sahib and Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala were like minded and had the same aims for the Sikh Freedom Movement.

Extremist Hindus such as Shiv Sena and other citizens of India gave out sweets in celebrations of the attack on Sri Harimandir Sahib. Shiv Sena, Congress, Kotakpure, Narakhdharis, police officers and Lala Bhagwan Das were getting punished by Bhai Sahib and Bhai Satnam Singh Babbar Santu. Shiv Sena were scared whenever they heard the name of singhs from Babbar Khalsa. Bhai Sahib not into jathebandis as long as the action was done in favour of the Sikh nation, for this reason Bhai Sahib was very much respected throughout the freedom fighter groups. Bhai Sahib did actions with many singhs from different groups, every singh felt proud of doing panthic actions with Bhai Sahib. Bhai Sahib planning was always accurate and different from others. Beside from killing anti-Sikh elements, Bhai Sahib loved to write poems.

Congress leader Joginderpal Pandey talked venom against the Sikh nation in Ludhiana. 19thJanuary 1987, Bhai Sahib and Bhai Satnam Singh Babbar Santu killed him in Ludhiana. The Congress party regarded Joginderpal Pandey as the fire of Congress, but these 2 singhs of Babbar Khalsa surely put that fire out.

For the bombings of 1985 in all cities which killed innocent Sikhs, Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar was arrested in Ludhiana on the 12thJanuary 1987. Julio Francis Rebeiro wanted to kill Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar in a fake encounter but could not as the Delhi police were on their way to Ludhiana to take Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar. The singhs of Babbar Khalsa wanted to break him out and started planning on this action. On 12thFebruary 1987, Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar would be attending a court hearing in Ludhiana, but he would be guarded with the CRP as well as the Punjab police. This wasn’t an easy action but the singhs of Babbar Khalsa knew that Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar was an asset to the Sikh Freedom Movement and must be freed.

12thFebruary 1987, Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar was bought to the court in Ludhiana and was locked up in a cell at the court till his hearing. As Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar was taken out of the cell and taken to his hearing, the Babbars attacked with war cries and managed to get Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar free and in the getaway car. In this fierce encounter Bhai Sahib was shot in the foot and he had lost a very close companion, Bhai Satnam Singh Babbar Santu had attained shaheedi. The singhs made their escape towards the village of Ladhowal, on Jalandhar Road. The police was chasing the singhs, but soon the police had lost them the Babbars and the Babbars went into a house and changed their cloths into the looks of a scruffy person. The singhs got out of the area on a sand filled tractor trolley, the police had found the house the Babbars used to get changed in but it was too late as the singhs had got away. After this action Bhai Sahib was extremely saddened to the loss of a close friend, Bhai Satnam Singh Babbar Santu and accepted his shaheedi as the doing of Waheguru. These days the Khadku Singhs were more superior then the police because General Labh Singh had looted 5 Crore 70 Lakh Rupees from the Punjab National Bank without firing a single bullet and the money helped the Sikh Freedom Movement massively.

To maintain the progress and unity of the Sikh Freedom Movement, Bhai Sahib was holding secret meetings. 10thMay 1987, an important meeting was held at a house in the village of Haripura, district Sangrur. A police black cat, Gurmeet Singh Pinky found out about this meeting and informed the police. Pinky tied a round turban and dressed, lived like a Khadku Singh but the locals and the Khadku Singhs didn’t know that Pinky was in fact a paid police black cat. The police Khanna raided the location of the meeting at 3am, this house belonged to Bhai Bhupinder Singh and was normally rented to students. Outside in the driveway of the house, 2 singhs were sleeping there, when these 2 singhs saw or heard the police, they opened fire at the police. This encounter also woke up the singhs inside the house and in the fierce encounter Bhai Gurpal Singh Bucho-Mandi and Bhai Jarnail Singh Halwara attained shaheedi fighting the Indian security forces, but Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar who was also known as Bomb and Bhai Jasminder Sing Jass Ludhian got away. Bhai Sahib made his way to the village of Rode from the back roads, the police announced that Bhai Sahib had been killed but couple of days later, the police realised that their source was wrong and put up a reward of 1 Lakh Rupees on the head of Bhai Sahib.

Once again Bhai Sahib was extremely saddened by the loss of yet another close friend, Bhai Gurpal Singh Bucho-Mandi, but this didn’t stop Bhai Sahib from continuing the struggle and Bhai Sahib worked even harder to make the Babbar Khalsa even stringer. Bhai Sahib was very close to the families of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bindranwale and Jathedar Bhai Gurdev Singh Kaunke. Father of Sant Ji, Baba Joginder Singh Rode named Bhai Sahib, Ujal Singh. Till today the family of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bindranwale talk of Bhai Sahib in respect, in fact Bhai Sahib met Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala through Baba Joginder Singh Rode. Who knew that these 2 warriors would take the Sikh Freedom Movement to new heights.

June-July 1987, the Punjab police killed 60 Sikh youths with torture or in fake encounters of which only 27 were named. Sardar Jaswant Singh Kali-Chahal, Bhai Sukhdev Singh Mukhatsar, Bhai Bhupinder Singh Mukhatsar, Bhai Manjit Singh Moga, Bhai Amrik Singh Duneke, Bhai Lakhbir Singh Dhuleke, Bhai Kikar Singh Baghsinghwala, Bhai Harminder Singh Jalandher, Bhai Balwinder Singh Kangniwal, Bhai Jalor Singh Bhola, Bhai Beant Singh Jeda, Bhai Malkit Singh Siddak, Bhai Neb Singh Bawa-Purana, Bhai Harnek Singh Jandiana, Bhai Jugraj Singh Bawa-Purana, Bhai Anek Singh Sudhasinghwala, Bhai Sukhwinder Singh, Bhao Kuldeep Singh Kaleke, Bhai Nirmal Singh Budhsinghwala, Bhai Gurmail Singh Moga, Bhai Teja Singh Thulewala and many more singhs and singhnia were all killed by the head of the Bhagepurane Police Station, Thanedar Meet Singh. Meet Singh was given the go ahead by Gobind Ram to unleash hell on to the Sikh citizens.

Bhai Sahib and Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala started to plan on how to punish this evil human being and a killer of innocent Sikhs. On 15thOctober 1987, 2 singhs shot dead Thanedar Meet Singh outside the Bhagepurane Police Station and also took his service revolver. Babbar Khalsa and Khalistan Liberation Force Budhsinghwala took the responsibility for this action. The Indian government was afraid of the unity of the Khadku Singhs.

In 1988, one of the Babbar Khalsa singhs was caught by the police, Bhai Sarabjit Singh Babbar Fajilaka. The police tortured him blindly, soon after the arrest of Bhai Sarabjit Singh Babbar Fajilaka, the police started to raid houses in the Ferozpur area looking for the singhs of Babbar Khalsa. In a house raided in the village of Feroke, district Ferozpur in which they found 45 assault rifles, over a quarter a million of bullets, 30 pistols and many other types. SSP Sumed Saini was filled with happiness upon finding this armoury. Then again in a house raided in Talwandi Bhai Ki, the police found 13 assault rifles, 9 pistols and a big number of ammunition. It is said that Bhai Sahib, Bhai Sarabjit Singh Fajilaka and Bhai Sulakhan Singh Babbar would supply weapons and ammunition to the Khadku Singhs when needed. Visakhi 1988, 2 more singhs of Babbar Khalsa were arrested from Dam Dama Sahib, this left Bhai Sahib and Babbar Khalsa stumbling as many singhs were getting arrested.

The last days of Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar are uncertain till today, but after travelling around and asking locals, it is said that Bhai Sahib was arrested from the village Lakhoke, district Ferozpur in 1988. It is also said that Bhai Sahib was planning on crossing the border into Pakistan and was arrested in the attempt of doing that. Once Bhai Sahib was arrested, he knew the police would try everything to get the biggest of the biggest information on the Sikh Freedom Movement. Bhai Sahib was handed to the CRP, they took Bhai Sahib the CRP headquarters in Majha and tortured Bhai Sahib but Bhai Sahib didn’t give any information to the Indian security forces. The CRP was scared that Bhai Sahib might escape with the help of Babbar Khalsa, so the CRP was continuously moving Bhai Sahib.

The police tortured Bhai Sahib in many different ways, tying Bhai Sahib to the back of the jeep and dragging him. Bhai Sahib was like a living dead, a singh prisoner who saw all this cruel torture was released and went to Bhai Sahib’s mother to inform but KPS Gill had already announced that Bhai Sahib was shaheed. The police never gave the date of arrest as well as shaheedi, that’s why the date of Bhai Sahib’s shaheedi is uncertain. All the Sikh nation know is on 7thSeptember 1988, the papers printed a statement made by KPS Gill which stated, Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar, Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar, Master Balwinder Singh Babbar, Master Sukhjinder Singh Babbar Dabbanwal and Bhai Sulakhan Singh had been killed and Babbar Khalsa no more.

It is said, Bhai Sahib went Pakistan 4 times, a photo is regularly seen of Bhai Sahib at Sri Panja Sahib and also a photo seen is of Bhai Sahib and Bhai Amarjeet Singh Shahzada, where they look like puratan singhs. Bhai Sahib always recited bani and was ready to punish the enemies of the panth. Travelling on foot and using a new name in every new area he went to, this is what made Bhai Sahib unique and special. People that met Bhai Sahib, praise him, and say, “Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar was instantly loved as Bhai Sahib spoke to everyone with respect. Bhai Sahib was fearless and never backed out of any action, he was good at getting away from the police unnoticed. In all major actions of Babbar Khalsa, Bhai Sahib played a vital role.”

Some called Bhai Sahib, Bhala Babbar, Mohni, Ujal Singh, Pupa, Bomb, Lakha and many more different names, for every action Bhai Sahib used a different name. For this reason Bhai Sahib has not had enough recognition as he should because of using many different names. Truth is the older Khadku Singhs didn’t do actions for popularity, like the last generation of Khadku Singhs did.

Bhai Iqbal Singh Babbar had jumped into the battlefield along with 10,000s of Sikhs to serve justice to the Sikh nation. The police still harasses the family of Bhai Sahib, but Mata Joginder Kaur is proud of her son. Whenever someone speaks of Bhai Sahib, Mata Joginder Kaur feels the honour Bhai Sahib bought to the family. Mata Ji told us that she sees her son ‘Bhala’ in every Sikh freedom fighter. The younger brother of Bhai Sahib, Bhai Kirpal Singh now lives in America due to the harassment of the Indian government.

Sarbjit Singh Ghuman