Shaheed Bhai Harjeet Singh Valtoha

Khalistan Liberation Force

 

Bhai Harjeet Singh was born in the year 1971 to the blessed womb of mother, Mata Kashmir Kaur and father, Jathedar Sardar Puran Singh in the village of Valtoha, Patti, Tarn Taran. He was one of three children, with an elder brother Bhai Manjeet Singh and a younger sister Bibi Sarabjit Kaur. Bhai Harjeet Singh’s father worked as a labourer and made enough to make ends meet. Living in a poor household meant Bhai Harjeet Singh was unable to gain an education and attend school. Yet, the family were devoted to their faith and dedicated their lives to the Guru. Bhai Harjeet Singh was blessed with Amrit at a very young age. He was then taken under the wing of the local Granthi Singh (priest) at the village Gurdwara and was fully trained, known as Santhiya, to read the entire Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj. In addition, Bhai Harjeet Singh fully memorised the five morning prayers.

 

As Bhai Sahib became of a working age, he moved to Ludhiana to work in a factory which manufactured cycle parts. Then sometime later, he became a Paathi Singh (Trained reader of the Sri Guru Granthi Sahib Ji Maharaj), at Gurdwara Rara Sahib (Karamsar), and would participate in the three-day readings of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj known as Sri Akhand Paath Sahib. This Gurdwara was a regular location for one of the famous Jhujaru Singhs, General Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala, the leader of the Khalistan Liberation Force. The Jhujaru Singhs would come here for Langar and respite. Bhai Harjeet Singh served at this Gurdwara for a very long time and became very close to the Gursikhs of this institution. Working and doing selfless service here allowed him to earn a wage and send money back to his family.

 

Just as things were beginning to bare easier for his family, on 10th November 1991 DSP Shiv Kumar Raikot ordered Thanedar Darshan Singh Dhillon to raid the Gurdwara Sahib. Six Singhs were picked up including Bhai Harjeet Singh. News reports the following day, claimed the police had arrested the Jhujaru Singhs of the Khalistan Liberation Force from Gurdwara Rara Sahib. Bhai Harjeet Singh was taken to a police station in Dhillon, where he had to endure the most horrifying torture. The police then took Bhai Harjeet Singh to Latala checkpoint and was held there until 11th December 1991. Here, Bhai Harjeet Singh managed to get the attention of another man who had come to retrieve his relative, Comrade Bhupinder Singh Sarpanch. Bhai Harjeet Singh told him of his situation of how he was picked up by the police falsely claiming he was a part of the Jhujaru Singhs. Bhai Harjeet Singh requested Comrade Bhupinder Singh Sarpanch to get a message back to his family so they can come free him from the police. Comrade Bhupinder Singh Sarpanch sent the message to Bhai Harjeet Singh’s family by sending a letter to his home address. As soon as Bhai Harjeet Singh’s father received the letter, he immediately made his way to Latala checkpoint. But to their misfortune, Bhai Harjeet Singh had already been taken away by the police a day earlier.

 

DSP Shiv Kumar ransomed the family to give him 2 Lakh Rupees for their son’s release. Even after giving the money the DSP failed to tell the family where Bhai Harjeet Singh was. The police were mocking the family and misguiding them as to where their son was. Then they completely denied having even arrested Bhai Harjeet Singh. The family were on a run around for many months trying to find Bhai Harjeet Singh. Til this day he had not been found. It is said he would have either been tortured to death or killed in a fake encounter.

 

Amidst the search and the pain of separation from their son, both parents became victims of this detrimental situation. Their mother became mentally unstable. Both parents passed away soon after. Having searched each and every police station and checkpoint in and the surrounding areas, one police man told them to just give up, ”Your son is long gone, I suggest you go home and perform a Sri Akhand Paat Sahib for his soul.” The wife of Shaheed Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra fought Bhai Harjeet Singh’s case ferociously, but as expected the courts have purposely failed to produce any outcomes and let the case pending for years.

 

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Harjeet Singh Valtoha