Shaheed Bhai Darbara Singh Dhillon
Shaheed Bhai Darbara Singh Dhillon
Bhindranwala Tigers Force of Khalistan
Bhindranwala Tiger Force of Khalistan’s immortal martyr, Bhai Darbar Singh Dhillon was born in 1963 at the home of his father, Sardar Chanchal Singh and from the blessed womb of his mother, Mata Rashpal Kaur in village Baoli, Tehsil Ajnala, District Sri Amritsar Sahib. The details of the seven siblings are as follows, from the eldest to the youngest: Bibi Pritam Kaur, Bibi Amar Kaur, Bhai Baldev Singh, Bhai Amar Singh, Bhai Darbara Singh (Shaheed), Bibi Prakash Kaur and Bhai Mahinder Singh.
Education
Bhai Sahib studied till 8th standard from Ramdas Government School and passed 9th and 10th standard from the Sports College in Jalandhar. He was a top player in volleyball and kabaddi. Bhai Sahib was six and a half feet tall, had an athletic body, beautiful eyes, a long reach and was very energetic by nature. He was also very fond of sprinting. Due to a dispute between two groups of youth in Jalandhar College, a youth was murdered and under a conspiracy, the other group tried to implicate Bhai Darbara Singh in this murder case, after which Bhai Darbara Singh told his father Sardar Chanchal Singh the whole story and left the college and returned to the village and then started practicing medicine with a doctor from Ajnala, Dr Amrik Singh.
Jail Journey
During the days of 1986, the police atrocities forced Bhai Darbara Singh to leave his home and family one day. It so happened that one day he was going to Gurdwara Baba Buddha Sahib Samadh (Ramdas) at Amrit Vela on a horse carriage and the Punjab police had set up a roadblock on the way. The police had stopped Bhai Darbara Singh and Bhai Amrik Singh and humiliated them. The police said, “You have connections with the militants, you have weapons, you look like a terrorist to us.” But Bhai Darbara Singh replied, “We have no weapons, you have already searched us, we are only going to the Gurdwara to worship.” But the policemen started beating both of the Singhs in the middle of the road. Then Bhai Sahib got angry and shouted, “Now if you touch me again, then I will take my revenge, the way you treat me, I will also treat you the same way, even if my life is lost, I will not spare you, take me to the police station and ask whatever you want, but stop raising your hands on me without any reason.” After this clash that took place in the early morning, the Punjab police took Bhai Sahib to Ramdas police station, tortured him severely without any fault and then sent him to Amritsar Jail on false charges under the Arms Act. After six months, Bhai Sahib was granted bail which his father had secured by selling some of their family land, but he was soon acquitted of this case.
Police Brutality
After that, a butcher and infamous Punjab police officer named Gajjan Singh was transferred from Khemkaran to Ramdas police station. This evil Thanedar had earlier committed many atrocities in the border area of Khemkaran and had martyred many Singhs. Now he came to Ramdas police station to do the same here. When Gajjan Singh saw Bhai Darbara Singh’s record in the government file, he started harassing Bhai Sahib and his family members. Gajjan Singh arrested Bhai Sahib and tortured him so cruelly that even the souls of other policemen watching were also shaken. The police officer broke Bhai Darbara Singh’s ribs, slit his thigh and stuffed red chillies in the wound, beat him all over his body with batons and he was unconscious.
Absconded from the Police Station
Then, in order to get a star on his shoulder (promotion) and to receive a government reward, Gajjan Singh prepared to stage a fake encounter and kill Bhai Darbara Singh and another arrested Singh. But Bakshish Singh, a constable from the Navapind village, took pity on the Singhs and told Bhai Sahib, “The Thanedar’s tongue has got a taste for killing people and tonight he will take you to
some canal field and kill you in staged encounter. It may be that I will have to take you in the car and maybe he will get me to shoot you. But I do not want to be a partaker of his sins by killing innocent people. I will help you escape from here. You just need the courage to run away, if you can run away, then take the opportunity to escape. I’ll take care of the rest myself.”
When Thanedar Gajjan Singh went to his room to eat at around six in the evening, Hawaldar Bakshish Singh ordered a constable, “Free the hands and feet of these so-called big militants for a few minutes. Let them use the toilets and walk around, because this will be the only freedom they will get as we will be killing them tonight.” But the constable replied, “But Hawaldar, you can’t trust these militants, what if they run away?” Hawaldar Bakshish Singh replied, “For the last 10 days they have been brutally tortured, where can they run, they can’t even walk properly.”
When the constable took the 2 Singhs out of the cell, the other Singh was not ready to run away, but seizing the opportunity, Bhai Darbara Singh immediately climbed the upper stairs of the police station and jumped down from the roof. His body was already broken from the torture, but due to falling from above onto the outer wall, he was even more seriously injured. His eyes went dark, streams of blood were flowing from his body, but still, thanks to the grace of the Guru, he climbed over the main wall of the police station and got out. Since that wall was covered in glass, his hands were also torn and his entire body was covered in blood. He ran for three kilometres at a fast pace and then went into the dense fields and hid. There was an uproar in the police station, wireless phones were ringing, police and CRPF vehicles were running around trying to catch Bhai Sahib but he was not caught.
The police then surrounded Bhai Sahib’s house and Thanedar Gajjan Singh, went to Sardar Chanchal Singh and said, “Your son has run away from the police station after fooling us. Tell me where is he? Bring him to me quickly, otherwise we will take the entire family to the police station.” Sardar Chanchal Singh replied, “The condition you had put my son in by hanging him upside down was not hidden from anyone, he did not run away. You have killed him by torturing him or you have killed him in a false encounter.” The family started mourning and shouting that the police first killed their son and now the police are spreading false news of him running away.
Bhai Darbara Singh also knew that it was not right to go home now, the police would be raiding the house. He went to his uncle’s house and sent a message home through one of his cousins that he is safe and alive. The police were trying to catch him and some police constables remained hidden in the fields near Bhai Sahib’s house for many days hoping that one day Bhai Darbara Singh will come home and then they will capture him. Then a lady who was a close relative of Bhai Sahib’s father, somehow managed to get Bhai Sahib to her house. She supported him immensely and took him to Amritsar, got him treated at Sri Guru Ramdas Hospital and then sent him to another relative.
Bank Robbery
After recovering, Bhai Sahib decided to join the Sikh struggle and under the leadership of Khalistan Commando Force’s, Bhai Gurnam Singh Ghariyala, took up arms and started fighting for the freedom of Khalistan. At that time, to meet the needs of the struggle, Bhai Sahib looted 10 Lakh Rupees from a bank in Valtoha and bought a shipment of weapons from across the border and punished many anti-Sikh elements. After some time, some wrong elements had infiltrated the Jhujaru group of Bhai Gurnam Singh Ghariyala, due to which Bhai Sahib left the organisation and returned their weapons.
Joining Bhindranwala Tiger Force
Then Bhai Sahib continued to live by spending days and nights in the fields of the villages near Ramdas. Bhai Sahib could not go home himself, as Punjab police had turned the house into a police check post. Then Bhai Sahib met his father at a hideout and said, “Bapu Ji, my death is inevitable now, whether I die at the hands of the police or die from a bite of a snake, but why don’t I die now doing something good for the Sikh nation.” Bapu Ji replied, “Do as you see fit son, even if the police are going to attack us, we will accept the Guru’s will and bear it, but never turn your back on the Sikh nation.” Bhai Sahib told his father, “You go to Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar and pray for me. There you will find Jathedar Amar Singh in room number 34 of the Parikarma, who is a close associate of Bhindranwala Tiger Force of Khalistan’s General, Bhai Satnam Singh Chhina. You should talk to him about me wanting to join their organisation.”
Sardar Chanchal Singh went to Amritsar and met Jathedar Amar Singh, here the reply Bhai Sahib’s father got was, “First, we will investigate Darbara Singh to see if he is really a fugitive. You should bring Darbara Singh to this place on such and such a date, along with the Sarpanch of your village and some other dignitaries. Whatever decision the organisation makes, we will tell you then.” Thus, on the appointed date and time, Bhai Darbara Singh met Bhai Satnam Singh Chhina in March 1987 and he himself joined the Bhindranwale Tiger Force. Bhai Sahib joined the Khalistan organisation and started challenging the traitors of the Sikh nation. Bhai Sahib was blessed with Amrit from the Panj Pyare at Sri Akaal Takht Sahib and from that day he accepted the Sikh prayers and attire.
Attack on Thanedar Gajjan Singh
Bhai Sahib stayed in room number 34 in the Parikarma of Sri Darbar Sahib for some time. From there, he called up and challenged the police officer Gajjan Singh, saying, “If you have the courage, then try touch my father or brothers while I am alive. Now, come and raid my house. If I don’t stop you then change my name.” But the Thanedar, who preyed on the weak and vulnerable, did not have the courage to accept Bhai Darbara Singh’s challenge. Then one day, Bhai Darbara Singh and his Jhujaru companions tracked and attacked Thanedar Gajjan Singh. A fierce encounter took place. In this encounter, the evil Gajjan Singh escaped but his gunman and other policemen were killed. In this encounter, the magazine of Bhai Darbara Singh’s gun fell near the bridge and was found by the police after. On it was written, ‘Darbara Singh Dhillon BTFK’. After reading the name from the magazine, Thanedar Gajjan Singh came to know that it was Bhai Darbara Singh’s group that attacked him. The Thanedar spread a huge net of black cats and police touts in the area to catch Bhai Sahib, but he was unsuccessful.
Jhujaru Actions
Bhai Satnam Singh Chhina entrusted Bhai Darbara Singh with the responsibility of Amritsar and Gurdaspur area and he himself went to UP for some big mission. Bhai Darbara Singh Dhillon along with a few fellow Jhujaru Singhs took the struggle for Khalistan to the heights. Senior police officers started trembling after hearing his name. This Jhujaru group also did important works for social reform, took care of the families of martyrs and also made many efforts for Sikhs to be educated of their history. Bhai Sahib’s group, in collaboration with the Khalistan Liberation Force and the Babbar Khalsa organisations carried out many Jhujaru actions and shook the government of India.
The police had placed a reward of 1 Lakh Rupees on Bhai Sahib’s head. Under the leadership of Bhai Darbara Singh, the Jhujaru Singhs twice attacked the CRPF cantonment of Ajnala and the police station of Dera Baba Nanak. His group also killed a comrade from Fatehgarh Churian village. Bhai Sahib’s Jhujaru group was responsible for killing several policemen and Indian soldiers during their encounters. Bhai Sahib’s intelligence and bravery started being talked about in the villages
Martyrdom
While serving in the Sikh struggle, one day on 6th Vaisakh 1988, he was in Amritsar district’s Boparai village resting at a hideout along with another 5 Jhujaru Singhs of his group. An informant reported the Jhujaru Singh’s location to the police and within minutes the Punjab Police, CRPF and BSF surrounded the Jhujaru Singhs. The Singhs realised they had been surrounded and after shouting war cries of “Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akaal” they opened fire at the invading Indian security forces. A fierce battle ensued between the two sides, the skies was covered with smoke from the rifles. The battle started at 6am and continued all the way till 5pm. The Jhujaru Singhs killed many policemen and soldiers of the Indian security forces. The police and the army were so afraid of the Jhujaru Singhs that they did not progress towards them out of fear. As the Singhs were running out of ammunition, they slowly started stating martyrdom fighting the enemy. In this encounter, Bhai Nishan Singh Vichhoa, Bhai Sartaj Singh Lopoke, Bhai Jagjit Singh, Fauji Rajasthani and Jassa Chhinianwala drank the juice of martyrdom while fighting till their last breath. Bhai Darbara Singh continued fighting till late evening as he had taken a position near a banyan tree. But soon, Bhai Sahib’s ammunition also ran out and he himself also drank the sweet juice of martyrdom by swallowing a cyanide capsule.
Then at around 6:30 in the evening that day, the police arrested Bhai Sahib’s father, Sardar Chanchal Singh and brother Bhai Amar Singh. The next morning, the police wanted to identify Bhai Sahib’s martyred body, the family did identify him but did not tell the police that this was Bhai Darbara Singh. The police threatened Bhai Amar Singh, saying that he should identify his brother, Shaheed Bhai Darbara Singh from among these bodies, otherwise they will put him on a heater and burn him, kill him. When Amar Singh saw the martyred bodies of 6 Jhujaru Singhs in the trolley, the bodies of the Singhs were lying covered in blood due to the bullet wounds, but when he saw the martyred body of his brother, Bhai Darbara Singh, there were no scratches or wounds because Bhai Sahib himself had consumed cyanide and attained martyrdom. The martyred bodies of the Jhujaru Singhs were brought to Amritsar Hospital for postmortem. The police released Bhai Sahib’s family members after keeping them in Ramdas police station for a week.
Police Tout
Two months after Bhai Sahib’s martyrdom, the police hatched a plan to entrap his family and sent a police black cat disguised as a Singh to Bhai Sahib’s house at 4 in the morning, asking for food. Sardar Chanchal Singh said, “We have already lost enough, leave our house.” But the black cat shouted, “If you don’t serve me food now, I will bring more people tonight, then I will serve you bullets.”
Mata Rashpal Kaur, the mother of Shaheed Bhai Darbara Singh just had given some food to the black cat, when all of sudden, following their plan, the Punjab police along with CRPF entered the house. The black cat ran away, but then the police signalled him to come back, and he immediately returned. The police asked him, “Where is the weapon?” The black cat replied, “I gave the pistol to this old man (Sardar Chanchal Singh).” But Bhai Sahib’s father had realised what was happening and said, “He did not give me any pistol, he is lying to frame us, you are all in cahoots and this isn’t good.”
The police then started torturing Shaheed Bhai Darbara Singh’s father, Sardar Chanchal Singh. The police beat him so badly that his hip was broken. Bhai Amar Singh was also taken to the police station by force, he was kept in the police station for 15 days, his mother also had to suffer in police custody. The police sent Sardar Chanchal Singh knowing he was going to die any minute due to their ill treatment. It was due to this blind torture of the Punjab police that Sardar Chanchal Singh attained martyrdom.
Tavareekh Shaheed-E-Khalistan 2 – Ranjit Singh Damdami Taksal