10 Shaheeds of the 1980’s

Warning: Contents of this article may be too graphic for sensitive readers.

 

1) Sant Jarnail Singh – One of the Greatest Sikh of the 20th Century

Sant Jee awoke a sleeping Panth, did parchar of gurmat all over India, got thousands to shakk amrit, and has been one of the best Jathedar’s the Panth has ever had. He made Sikhs aware of the shackles of slavery around their necks and instilled inside them the will to fight against the injustices of the Indian Government. He became Shaheed defending Darbar Sahib during the Indian Army Invasion and genocide.

Sant Baba Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale

 

2) Shaheed Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar – Bhai Sahib’s Shaheedi is a legend

Bhai Sahib’s story is very long and detailed and can be fully read here.

Bhai Sahib was arrested and the torture began immediately, his hip was broken using a bayonet and both of his eyes were removed. Two foot long bars were hammered into Bhai Sahib’s feet up to his knees. Heated rods were put through his chest and skull. Bhai Sahib’s abdomen was opened and pins were put through his private area. Bhai Sahib was left like this on the ground. Bhai Sahib didn’t have any eyes so he had no idea what time it was, he asked a nearby sentry for the time who replied that it was 7:15 PM. Hearing this Bhai Sahib said it is time for Rehras Sahib and started doing it. After finishing the Paat, Bhai Sahib began his Ardaas. In this Ardaas Bhai Sahib said:

“Hay Akaal Purakh Sachay Patshah Guru Nanak dev Gareeb Nivaaj Satguru, the day which rose in your bhaaNaa has passed in happiness, meditating on your naam. Sachay Patshah, night has arrived, may it too pass while remembering your Naam and in your BhaaNaa…. Satguru, May I be a Shaheed…Sachay Patshah, save me from becoming a traitor… Satguru, may the Sikhi and Kesh you have given me last with me till my final breaths…Suchay Patshah, have mercy on all….Bolay So Nihaal…Sat Sree Akaal!!”

The Jakara was very loud and the head of the Jail ordered that Bhai Sahib’s toungue be cut off. They took a saw and cut his toungue as streams of blood flowed down his beard. The sentry on duty heard and saw all this and with tears in his eyes he went to the office of the station-head and gave in his resignation. Saying he couldn’t do a job that killed saints. The SSP started yelling and said they’re all magicians another one of our officers has left service because of them! The Police were frustrated with Bhai Sahib’s resilience so they shot and killed him, starting a motorcycle at the same time to cover the sound of the gunshot. Bhai Sahib became Shaheed on August 30th 1987.

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3) Shaheed Bhai Gurdev Singh Debu

Bhai Sahib was made Shaheed like Bhai Dayala Jee was in the 17th Century, by being boiled alive. Bhai Sahib was deeply hurt after the Vasakhi Massacre of 1978, he started visiting Sant Jarnail Singh and listening to his Katha and Speeches. He decided to stay with Sant Jee and the Singhs and serve the Panth in the Dharam Yudh Morcha.

He carried out countless Sevas and missions for the Panth. He became a feared name amongst the Punjab Police and Indian Forces. The Police had been attempting to arrest him for many years when finally a day came when he was betrayed by a Singh who drugged Bhai Sahib’s milk and then called the Police. He was tortured brutally by the Police hoping to get information out of him on the whereabouts of his companions who were also fighting for the Panth. Bhai Sahib’s mouth remained shut. Having become frustrated, the Punjab Police boiled up a big tub of water in a last effort to scare him but when Bhai Sahib still remained loyal to his companions, they threw Bhai Sahib into the tub of water and he was boiled alive. Vaahiguroo!

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debu

 

4) Shaheed Bhai Beant Singh

After the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib and the ensuing genocide, Bhai Beant Singh’s conscience was awakened and he realized that he was in a prime position to retie the Dastar of the Khalsa Panth after it had been removed during the June 1984 attack. Being the bodyguard of Indira Gandhi he had the perfect opportunity to punish her for her actions—and that is what he did on October 31st 1984, alongside Bhai Satwant Singh. Bhai Beant Singh was killed on the spot and Bhai Satwant Singh was detained and later tried and hung to death.

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5) Shaheed Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke – One of the personal bodyguards of Sant Jarnail Singh.

After the Vasakhi Massacre of 1978, Narakdhari Leaders were being killed and the Punjab Police had their eyes on 11 Singhs and released this list. This list didn’t have any names of known criminals, instead all were dedicated Gursikhs from the Akhand Keertani Jatha. Bhai Kulwant Singh’s name was on this list as well.

Bhai Sahib used to farm on his family’s fields daily and one day while returning home he was picked up by the Police. Bhai Sahib was tortured endlessly and then presented to the courts. The Police claimed he was arrested on June 4th 1982 when in reality he was arrested on May 27th 1982.

The Courts allowed 5 days to the Police to present Bhai Sahib in court as Bhai Sahib had been tortured so brutally he was unable to make it into the court. On June 9th, the Police did not present Bhai Sahib in Court and on June 10th they held a press conference announcing Bhai Sahib had escaped custody. On June 11th Bhai Sahib’s body was found near a river covered in blood.

The Police again held a press conference and this time said Bhai Sahib after escaping had been tracked down and when the police went to arrest him, a gun fight ensued and in this fight Bhai Sahib was killed. In reality Bhai Sahib had been tortured and had died in Police Custody and the Police had fabricated the story to cover themselves.

Bhai Sahib became Shaheed sometime between June 4th and June 11th 1982.
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6)Shaheed Bhai Mengha Singh Babbar – The First Shaheed of Operation Blue Star

Bhai Sahib was born as Kulwant Singh. The Vasakhi Massacre of 1978 had a deep impact on him and he began to attend Keertan Smagams hoping to one day be blessed with Amrit. In 1979 he was given Amrit and he began to read books on Sikh History. He vowed to Punish those that had disrespected the Khalsa Panth.

Bhai Sahib was in the Darbar Sahib complex when the Indian Army attacked Darbar Sahib on June 1st. As the soldiers approached the complex, Bhai Sahib took up position and killed three soldiers. During the battle he was shot in the forehead and fell to the ground. A nearby Singh asked him how he was doing and Bhai Sahib replied saying he was in Chardi Kala. A few Singhs came and took him to Nanak Niwas where his wound was dressed and Sukhmani Sahib Paat was started, Bhai Sahib passed away only when Sukhmani Sahib Paat was completed. Becoming the first Shaheed of Operation Blue Star.

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7) Shaheed Bhai Avtar Singh Brahma

Bhai Avtar Singh Brahma is one of the topmost Generals from the Sikh Freedom Movement. The Name Brahma would strike fear in the hearts of the Punjab Police. He carried out many missions and killed many big enemies of the Panth during his time. People would be excited to read the weekly updates on his missions in the newspapers as he had become a Sikh Robin Hood.

Bhai Sahib along with a few Singhs was crossing the Pakistan Border when they were spotted. They managed to escape only to be spotted again. This time again they managed to escape but were found again. Bhai Sahib instructed the two other Singhs to escape as he covered them with fire. He distracted the Border Security Force (BSF) and the two other Singhs were able to escape.

In the process Bhai Sahib was shot in the stomach, despite the pain, he continued to battle on. The BSF were too afraid to approach Bhai Sahib even in his wounded state—his name was known by all the officers and not one dared to approach him. They showered the field where Bhai Sahib was hiding with bullets and after a few minutes they approached the body.

They weren’t sure if the body was really Bhai Avtar Singh Brahma. They took pictures and sent them to Punjab to be identified, but no one confirmed them as being pictures of Bhai Sahib. The Newspapers began to debate whether the legendary Avtar Singh Brahma had finally fallen. It was only when a close friend of Bhai Sahib’s was arrested and his body identified were the Police sure they had killed the Sikh Robin Hood. An Akhand Paat Sahib was held in Bhai Sahib’s name. He became Shaheed on July 22, 1988.
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avtar singh brahma

 

8) Shaheed Bhai Amarjeet Singh Babbar

Bhai Sahib’s length and boyish build impressed the senior members of the Babbar Khalsa so they nicknamed him Shahzada, meaning prince. He left his comforts at home and joined the Singhs fighting for freedom. He told one of the senior Singhs of Babbar Khalsa, “Bhai Sahib, I don’t want anything else but whenever I go out on a mission, I need a good-looking kurta pyjama because when I leave my body and people come to see my corpse lying in the fields, the youth should see the glow on my face and my smart clothes. Then they too will feel inspired and their hearts will themselves be pulled to join the Singhs”. He had an amazing Amritvela which would start at 3 AM and go until 8 AM. He kept very strict Khalsa Rehat. Those that had only just met him after a few minutes felt as if they had been life long friends. He was easy to get along with, always smiling and laughing. Bhai Sahib’s wish for Shaheedi was fulfilled when he became Shaheed January 28, 1989.

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Shaheeds Bhai Gurdeep Singh Vakeel, Bhai Piara Singh, Bhai Sukhdev Singh and Bhai Amarjeet Singh Babbar Babbars2

 

9) Bhai Amrik Singh – Sant Jarnail Singh’s right hand man.

Son of famous Parcharak Sant Kartar Singh Bhindranwale. He was highly educated, receiving a Masters in Punjabi from Khalsa College in Amritsar and was working on his Ph.D thesis. He became Shaheed during the Indian Army’s attack on Darbar Sahib in June 1984 and died alongside Sant Jarnail Singh.

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10) Shaheed General Shabeg Singh – The Intelligence behind the fortification of the Darbar Sahib Complex

General Shabeg Singh was a highly decorated General in the Indian Army before he was dishonorably discharged for his support of the Sikh Cause in India. He joined Sant Jarnail Singh and trained Singhs as well as fortified Darbar Sahib in the months leading up to the Sikh Genocide. He became Shaheed during the invasion of the Darbar Sahib complex.

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general shahbeg singh

 

5 COMMENTS

  1. We will never forget the betrayal of Hindus. ਖ਼ਾਲਿਸਤਾਨ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਾਬਾਦ ✊🏻✊🏻⚔️

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