Shaheed Bhai Balraj Singh Babbar

Babbar Khalsa 

 

Bhai Balraj Singh Billu was born in 1970 to in the house of Sardar Darshan Singh and from the blessed womb of Mata Gurmej Kaur. During the partition of Punjab in 1947, Sardar Darshan Singh lost everything in today’s Pakistan and moved to resettled in Amritsar, near Ranjhe Di Haveli. Bhai Sahib was from a poor background and his father worked as a labourer. Bhai Sahib had 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Bhai Sahib only studied up to 5th grade. 

 

When the Amritsar massacre took place in Sri Amritsar in April 1978, Bhai Sahib was studying in 3rd or 4th class at Sri Guru Ram Das School (Ramsar Road). Bhai Sahib’s cousin, Bhai Sarabjit Singh Chhaba also studied with him in this school. The martyrdom of 13 Singhs shook both of them. Then after this tragedy, both cousins went to Sri Darbar Sahib and after listening to the spiritual and passionate words of the great Sikh of the 20th century, Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale of Damdami Taksal, both, Bhai Sahib and Bhai Sarabjit Singh Chhaba were so impressed that both of them took Amrit from Panj Pyare from the Jatha of Damdami Taksal and started participating in Sikh activities. During the Dharam Yudh Morcha, both cousin brothers were arrested at the age of 13-14 years. And after both of them were quite restless due to the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib in June 1984.

 

In 1987-88, when Bhai Balraj Singh was working at a goldsmith’s shop, he met Bhai Mahinder Singh Piond, Bhai Sukhdev Singh Sukha (Sultanwind) and Bhai Kulwant Singh Kanta of Babbar Khalsa, Bhai Sahib joined these Jhujaru Singhs and started serving in the struggle for the freedom of Khalistan. One day, when Bhai Balraj Singh was staying at his house, the police raided the house at four in the morning and arrested Bhai Sahib with weapons. Bhai Sahib was taken to the slaughterhouse (interrogation centres) of Mal Mandi in Amritsar and then to the slaughterhouse of BR Model School, where he was severely tortured by the police. Then after filing several cases, Bhai Sahib was sent to Amritsar Jail, from where after six months, Bhai Sarabjit Singh Chhaba got him bailed out and after being released, Bhai Sahib jumped back into the battlefield to break the chains of slavery. During his time in the Sikh struggle, the police inflicted a lot of atrocities on Bhai Sahib’s parents and siblings. The police used to also arrest up Bhai Sarabjit Singh Chhaba every other day and due to the brutal police beatings, his body was made useless.

 

Bhai Sarabjit Singh Chhaba does not remember the exact date, but he says that this is near the year 1991-92. When Bhai Balraj Singh Billu and five other Jhujaru Singhs attacked a police post near Patti, they came and stayed at a hideout in Bhorchi Rajputana village. That afternoon, the police and CRPF cordoned off this village and there was a fierce encounter between the police and the 6 Jhujaru Singhs which lasted for a long time. Four Jhujaru Singhs managed to break the cordon of the police and escape. Bhai Balraj Singh Billu and Bhai Kulwant Singh Kanta kept fighting. Then when the ammunition of both Jhujaru Singhs ran out, the police arrested Bhai Kanta. Bhai Balraj Singh, in injured condition, escaped and went ahead and there were some builders working in someone’s house. Bhai Sahib hid his assault rifle and started working among the labourers. 

 

Then, during the search, the police recognised Bhai Sahib because his leg was bleeding as he had been shot. Bhai Sahib realised he had been seen, he grabbed the approaching Thanedar Major Singh and ripped his police uniform. Afterwards, the police forces wrestled Bhai Sahib to the ground and started beating him with the butts of the rifles and broke Bhai Sahib’s teeth. Then the police martyred Bhai Balraj Singh Billu and Bhai Kulwant Singh Kanta by shooting them at the same location. Their martyred bodies were not handed over to the families either. 

 

Tavareekh Shaheed-E-Khalistan 2 – Ranjit Singh Damdami Taksal