Shaheed Bhai Major Singh Kolowal

Sikh Student Federation

 

Bhai Major Singh, a martyr and brave warrior of the Sikh Students Federation, was born in 1965 in the village of Kolowal, Tehsil Ajnala, district Sri Amritsar, in the house of his father, Giani Kartar Singh, from the fortunate womb of Mata Swinder Kaur. Bhai Sahib was one of eight siblings, whose details are as follows, eldest being Bhai Balwinder Singh, Bibi Manjit Kaur, Bhai Lakhwinder Singh, Bhai Kulwant Singh, Bibi Sarabjit Kaur, Bibi Paramjit Kaur, Bhai Major Singh (Shaheed) and Bibi Rajwinder Kaur. Bhai Sahib studied up to fifth grade at his village’s government school and obtained his tenth-grade education from the school in Village Khiala. Bhai Sahib’s father provided for his family by working in his farms.

 

In 1982, when the Dharam Yudh Morcha started, Bhai Sahib started taking part in this movement. During the Morcha, he gave his voluntary arrest several times and remained in various jails. Bhai Sahib had immense love for Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale. After coming into contact with Bhai Amrik Singh, Bhai Sahib became a member of the Sikh Students Federation. At that time, whenever there was an incident in Punjab, the police would arrest Bhai Sahib only to be released after a lengthy interrogation. Bhai Sahib was very active in the equal rights movement and participated enthusiastically in every activity of the Sikh nation. 

 

When Sri Darbar Sahib was attacked in June 1984, Bhai Major Singh was deeply hurt, but on top of that, the police started harassing you even more now. The police raided the family house but Bhai Sahib did not come into their hands, the police then arrested his father, Giani Kartar Singh, brothers Bhai Lakhwinder Singh and Bhai Balwinder Singh. They were taken to the CIA staff, where they were tortured immensely, causing them life changing injuries. 

 

In December 1985, when Bhai Major Singh was coming towards Sri Darbar Sahib, when the police arrested him, Bhai Sahib was kept in torture centres and tortured for several days, after which he was sent to Amritsar Jail. Three months later the family managed to get Bhai Sahib released on bail. In 1986, when the Sikh nation called for a Punjab Bandh, Bhai Sahib completely closed off Chogawan. The local police officer SSP Harjinder Singh had put Bhai Sahib on his hit list. The police force had become even more hostile towards Bhai Sahib. Then every other day the police would raid the house. Eventually, the police arrested Bhai Sahib and he spent 6 months in jail in false cases. 

 

Bhai Sahib’s aunt’s grandson, Bhai Balbir Singh Kolowal (Shaheed) also participated in Jhujaru actions locally alongside Bhai Sahib. Towards the end of 1986, Bhai Major Singh Kolowal armed himself and jumped into the battlefield beside his Jhujaru brothers. One of the known Jhujaru actions of Bhai Sahib was the punishing of a hypocrite holy man of Boparai village, who used to put people in superstitions and extort money, breaking them away from Sikhi. Bhai Major Singh and Bhai Balbir Singh gave him a warning to stop conning the weak and vulnerable. Bhai Sahib also assassinated Ram Lal of Khyala village who used to talk a lot against Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale. Bhai Sahib and Bhai Balbir Singh assassinated him. Bhai Major Singh, following the Khalsa traditions, he carefully selected and eliminated many anti-Sikh elements, including black cats, informers, traitors and cruel policemen. Bhai Sahib made a valuable contribution to the struggle for the independence of Khalistan. He was a very agile, brave and visionary Jhujaru Singh.

 

Bhai Balkar Singh Kala of village Othian, who was a Jhujaru Singh and very active in the Sikh struggle and who had punished many anti-Sikh elements. On 25th October 1987, Bhai Balkar Singh Kala came to Bhai Major Singh’s house in Kolowal village, here he met Bhai Sahib and Bhai Balbir Singh Kolowal. All the Jhujaru Singhs were unarmed. A police informant was followed Bhai Balkar Singh to Kolowal village and reported to the local police station. Within the hour, the Indian security forces in their thousands surrounded Bhai Major Singh’s house. Soon as Bhai Balkar Singh noticed the presence of the Indian soldiers, he gave his martyrdom by swallowing a capsule of cyanide and did not come into the hands of the police alive. 

 

From there, the police arrested Bhai Major Singh, Bhai Balbir Singh, Bhai Major Singh’s father Giani Kartar Singh and brothers Bhai Balwinder Singh, Bhai Lakhwinder Singh. Bhai Balbir Singh’s cousins, Bhai Satnam Singh and Bhai Dilbagh Singh escaped from the siege at that time. The police also fired bullets at them but thankfully they survived. The police took Bhai Major Singh and Bhai Balbir Singh to Lopoke police station and later to Ajnala College (where the CRPF cantonment was). The police brutally tortured Bhai Major Singh and Bhai Balbir Singh. 

 

On 27th October 1987, Bhai Major Singh was made a martyr in a staged encounter in village Fattewal Khurd and Bhai Balbir Singh was martyred in a fake encounter in village Kural. The family came to know about the incident on 29th October through the headlines of newspapers. The police did not give the body of Shaheed Bhai Major Singh Kolowal to the family and cremated him themselves as unclaimed body. The police charged Bhai Major Singh’s father and his 2 brothers with false cases and sent them to Amritsar jail from where they were released after three months. 

 

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