Shaheed Bhai Gurpal Singh Rangheri
Shaheed Bhai Gurpal Singh Rangheri
Khalistan Commando Force
In the struggle that Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale waged for the rights of the Sikhs and Punjab, Sikh youths sacrificed their lives to build a home for the nation. Many of these brave men have remained unnoticed. Bhai Gurpal Singh Rangheri is also one of such neglected martyrs.
Family Information
Shaheed Bhai Gurpal Singh, Area Commander of Khalistan Commando Force, was born on 15th August 1963 in the village of Rangheri Kalan in district Fatehgarh Sahib to the blessed womb of Mata Amar Kaur at the home of Sardar Mehar Singh. The details of the 7 siblings are as follows: Bibi Jarnail Kaur, Bhai Balvir Singh (martyr), Bhai Raghbir Singh, Bibi Randhir Kaur, Bhai Gurpal Singh (martyr), Bibi Baljit Kaur and Bhai Lakhmir Singh. Bhai Sahib’s father was an ordinary farmer. His parents and elder brother, Bhai Balvir Singh Khalsa were of baptised Sikhs and due to this, Bhai Sahib used to go to Gurdwara Sahib with them, recite Gurbani and do Seva-Simran.
Studies & Sports
Bhai Sahib received his education up to the fifth grade from the school in his village and then took admission in the sixth grade at the Government High School in Tarkheri Kalan village. During this time, he became the best athlete (runner) of his school and got third place in the district. After passing the ninth grade, in 1980, Bhai Sahib took admission in the Sports Wing at Government Multipurpose Higher Secondary School (Ludhiana), where he secured the second position in the 1500-meter race and represented the Ludhiana Sports Wing in the Punjab School Games.
From time to time, the land of Sangrur can be said to have the honour of producing martyrs, such as Bhai Mati Das Ji, Bhai Sati Das Ji and Bhai Mani Singh Ji. The sports stadium of Sangrur is also named after these martyrs. Bhai Shaib took admission in the Government Higher Secondary School of Sangrur. In school, he emerged well in the field of sports and in singing too, he loved his friends very much. Whoever became friends with him, Bhai Sahib would consider him his own blood. Slowly his name started speaking on the tongue of every child in Sangrur, due to his athletic achievements.
In 1982, Bhai Sahib took admission in the Sports Wing at Government Ranbir College, Sangrur. He used to pass with good marks in studies along with sports. Bhai Sahib also secured third position in the inter-college competitions at Punjabi University, Patiala. In the same year 1983-84, he was selected in the team of Punjabi University, Patiala. Bhai Sahib represented Punjabi University in the All-India University Competition held at Inter University Trivandrum (Kerala). That year, in the state trials held in Haryana, Bhai Sahib’s secured first position while running in Sirsa district. Bhai Sahib obtained his BA from Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur College (Bhawanigarh) but for his MA, he took admission in Ranbir College again. Bhai Gurpal Singh had become a hero of the stadium and college due to his athletic achievements. Room number 13 of Ranbir College Hostel is a witness to this hero.
Impact of June 1984
Bhai Sahib’s parents were hoping to improve their home by relying on their promising son. But in the heart of Bhai Sahib, there was a passion to improve not his own small home but the home of his nation (Khalistan). The attack of Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar in June 1984 shook the soul of Bhai Gurpal Singh to the core. Like other Sikhs, his heart was also torn, his emotions were wounded, and boils of anger against the Hindu government started rising in his mind. Seeing the demolished Sri Akaal Takht Sahib, his eyes filled with tears. He came to know that the Indian army played Holi with the blood of the Sikhs in India, daughters and sisters were dishonoured, thousands of Singhs-Singhnia, elders, innocent children who had come to Sri Darbar Sahib to have darshan and bathe in the Sarovar of Sri Guru Ram Das Ji Maharaj on the martyrdom day of the fifth Guru, were blown away by the cannons of the evil Indian army.
On that day, Bhai Sahib prayed at Sri Akaal Takht Sahib, “Satguru Sahib Ji! Give strength to your humble servant so that by your grace I can take revenge for the blood of the martyrs.” Bhai Sahib gave up all his selfishness and started serving the Sikh nation. He requested his parents and family not to interfere in his Jhujaru life. Hearing the words of Bhai Sahib, his parents, Sardar Mehar Singh, Mata Amar Kaur and elder brother, Bhai Balvir Singh Khalsa gave Bhai Sahib their blessings to jump onto the battlefield against the Indian security forces.
Torture & Jail Journey
Bhai Sahib’s eyes would turn red remembering the events of the Sikh holocaust. He used to say, “Every martyr, men, women, elder or young will surely be avenged.” The attack on Sri Darbar Sahib made this fearless young man sleepless. Bhai Sahib established contact with the Jhujaru Singhs, acquired weapons and formed his own small group and started secretly punishing the anti-Sikh elements.
In 1987, the police raided Bhai Sahib’s room in Sangrur collage and took away his certificates, books, tracksuits, clothes and other valuables to the police station. Bhai Sahib was eventually arrested and tortured and various police stations in the Sangrur area. Bhai Sahib endured the torture with a smile whole reciting Gurbani. Whenever he was taken to be tortured, Bhai Sahib would start reciting Gurbani and continue until he was unconscious. Bhai Sahib would be left unconscious by the police. It was no easy task to endure the blind torture, but despite the inhumane torture, Bhai Sahib gave no information to the police which would result in capture of his fellow Jhujaru Singhs.
Meetings with family members were stopped, in jail, Bhai Sahib got the privilege of associating with many great Jhujaru Singhs as well as respected, Jathedar Bhai Gurdev Singh Kaunke, the Jathedar of Sri Akaal Takht Sahib. Now the intention to serve in the Sikh struggle became even stronger. Bhai Sahib stayed in Sangrur, Patiala and Nabha Jails for more than a year.
Released From Jail
In 1988, Bhai Sahib was released on bail and as soon as you came from jail, he started a Sri Sehaj Path in the Gurdwara Sahib of his ancestral village, Rangheri Kalan. Bhai Sahib recited all of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj from, ‘Ik Onkar to Attarah Das Bees.’ Saints were called to do Katha Kirtan, and then an Ardas was done, “O God, grant me strength and pure intellect to serve in the ongoing Sikh struggle.” After staying at home for a year, Bhai Sahib started doing Jhujaru actions in secret. During this time, Bhai Sahib punished many butcher policemen who killed Singhs in fake encounters. During this time, he also did some household works and became proficient in driving tractors, motorcycles, scooters and jeeps etc. Bhai Sahib was very much against looting, he always warned those who did such acts. He also opposed the killings of innocent people.
Jhujaru Actions
Bhai Sahib left home on 8th December 1989 and devoted life to the creation of Khalistan.
He was appointed as the Area Commander of Patiala District by the senior command of Khalistan Commando Force (Panjwar). Many Jhujaru Singhs had great love and respect for Bhai Sahib as he was always high-spirited, sweet-spoken and lived according to Gurmat. Bhai Sahib was more in favour of punishing the evil policemen who used their power to harass the weak and vulnerable. Bhai Sahib was strongly against killing of innocent Hindus. Bhai Sahib did not allow the 5 thieves, lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego to overshadow his decision making. Bhai Gurpal Singh was also an expert in operating weapons and making bombs. He has done many Jhujaru actions and also been involved in many too, but he did not blag about it or take responsibility in newspapers.
Bhai Sahib witnessed an incident of a fellow Jhujaru Singhs while in Sangrur Jail. It so happened that there was a fight between the Singhs and the policemen. The police opened fire in the jail and in this indiscriminate firing a brave Singh was badly injured but when the doctor arrived to treat that him, the doctor asked, “Bhai Sahib, how are you?” So, the wounded Singh replied, “I am in high spirits!” The doctor was surprised to hear this. Bhai Sahib used to tell this story again and again to his fellow Singhs, that the brave Singhs are so determined that they say that they are in high spirits even when on the verge of death.
Police Atrocities on the Family
When Bhai Sahib was fighting a guerrilla war against the Indian security forces, the police started to harass the family of Bhai Sahib to sway him from the path of righteousness. The police would often arrest Sardar Mehar Singh, Bhai Balvir Singh and Bhai Lakhmir Singh, who were then tortured mercilessly and kept in illegal custody for months. Bhai Sahib’s father was kept in the police station for about two years. During this time, his land and property were also sold.
Martyrdom
On 6th January 1991, Bhai Gurpal Singh Rangheri along with a Jhujaru companion were staying at a place on the outskirts of village Chubhki near Samana City in the Patiala district. An informer tipped off the police that today both the militants are without weapons and can be easily caught. As soon as the police found out about Bhai Sahib’s whereabouts, they surrounded both the Jhujaru Singhs and martyred them by shooting them. The police did not hand over the bodies of both the martyred Singhs to their families and instead cremated them somewhere in secret themselves.
The Jhujaru Singhs of Khalistan Commando Force issued advertisements in newspapers about the martyrdom of Shaheed Bhai Gurpal Singh Rangheri and expressed their commitment to continue the struggle. In memory of Bhai Sahib, on 15th January 1991, Sri Akhand Path Sahib was held at village Rangheri Kalan and in the Ardas ceremony, Sardar Simranjit Singh Mann, Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Bhai Karnail Singh Panjoli and Baba Darshan Singh Malewal attended along with thousands of Sikhs, who offered flowers of devotion to this warrior of the Sikh nation.
Shaheed Bhai Balvir Singh Rangheri
Shaheed Bhai Gurpal Singh Rangheri’s brother, Bhai Balvir Singh Khalsa did a great service during the armed Sikh struggle. He used to arrange shelter of the Jhujaru Singhs to rest. Because of this, the police inflicted immense torture on him in those days. He also contributed greatly to the preaching of Sikhism and raised a strong voice in favour of the Jhujaru Singhs from the Sikh stages. After the stagnation in the armed Sikh struggle in 1993-94, he started working in Punjab Roadways after some time, he was a bus conductor.
On 20th December 1998, Bhai Balvir Singh’s bus was going from Patiala to Jammu. The bus was stopped by Indian soldiers near Pathankot-Kathua. The Indian soldiers arrested Bhai Balvir Singh without any reason and started dragging him onto the road and beating him badly in an inhuman manner with the butts of weapons to his face which killed Bhai Balvir Singh on the spot there.
The reason for this was that seeing the rise of Bhai Balvir Singh amongst the Sikh community, a fanatical Hindu soldiers got angry because any rising Sikh appears to them as Sant Bhindranwala, and every Sikh associated with Sikhi is a terrorist and separatist for them, and the Indian state wants to eliminate every such Sikh on some pretext. It is evident, how the Indian government has killed thousands of Sikh youth after 1984 by creating a hostile atmosphere.
Tavareekh Shaheed-E-Khalistan 2 – Ranjit Singh Damdami Taksal