Shaheed Bhai Makhan Singh Chaura
Shaheed Bhai Makhan Singh Chaura
Bhai Makhan Singh was born in the year 1959, to the blessed womb of mother, Mata Swaran Kaur and father, Sardar Kabal Singh in the village of Daura, Dera Baba Nanak. The family lived a traditional village life and earned their livelihood from farming their family-owned land. Bhai Makhan Singh studied up to sixth grade at his village school. His father’s family, originally lived in what is now Pakistan, in Multan Chak No.111. After the partition, the family shifted over to Punjab. They owned a massive amount of land in Multan which they sadly left behind. Even enduring all the struggles and hardships of the partition, Bhai Makhan Singh’s grandfather worked hard to own 70 acres of land.
Bhai Makhan Singh lived a leisurely and comfortable life. His own father worked long and hard to preserve and continue his father’s legacy. Living such a comfortable lifestyle, Bhai Makhan Singh would rather spend his days out and about being care free rather than doing a hard day’s work in the field. He used their wealth to good use. He had a big heart for those who were poor and needy and was always helping others and providing for them. The family was a devote Gursikh family. Bhai Makhan Singh too had been blessed with Amrit (baptised) at a very young age, from the institution of Nihang Singhs. Bhai Makhan Singh was steadfast in his practice and maintained his daily prayers. He had also memorised a lot of Gurbani.
In 1980, his family arranged his Anand Karaj (marriage) with Bibi Dalbir Kaur (village Haveliya). They lived a happy and content life. He was blessed with 3 children Kulwant Singh, Talwinder Singh and Sarabjit Kaur. Bhai Makhan Singh had even gone on to open a successful dairy and sold the milk produce.
The Dharam Yudh Morcha had been in motion since 1982, led by the great Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale. Then in June 1984, the Indian Government attacked Sri Harmandir Sahib and up to 35 other Gurdwaras in Punjab. The Indian Government had no desire to sit with the Sikhs and understand the plight of the Sikhs being deprived from their rights. Rather the Indian Government wanted to teach the Sikhs a lesson and attack their psyche. The Indian Government wanted to ensure the Sikhs felt downtrodden and not sovereign.
This attack by the Indian army upon the Sikh throne, left lifelong pain etched into every Sikhs heart. Bhai Makhan Singh was really troubled over this event. He felt it necessary to fight back and defend his faith. He went on to join the armed struggle and the Jhujaru Militia groups. Many from his area had decided to join the armed movement Khalistan. His first cousin was a well-known Jhujaru Singh – Bhai Narain Singh Chaura (son of Bhai Channan Singh – the elder brother of Sardar Kabal Singh). Bhai Makhan Singh continued to support the Jhujaru Singhs where he could remain anonymous, whilst still leading his daily life and running his Dairy. He never did pick up a gun nor partake in any actions.
It was the year 1993 and Jhujaru leaders had been martyred by the Indian security forces. The movement had also become heavily infiltrated by Indian black cats/touts. It was hard to see how the struggle could continue without key leadership and infiltration. The police were carrying out thousands of fake encounters across Punjab and this was impacting each and every family.
By this time, Bhai Makhan Singhs cousin Bhai Narain Singh Chaura was also underground and unable to be found. One night the police turned up to the house, Bhai Makhan Singh and his family were sound asleep. Suddenly, he was dragged out of bed, still in only his vest and Kachera (undershorts) and shoved into the back of a police van. They taunted back at his family, that if you want to have him back then turn up tomorrow at the police station in Dera Baba Nanak. The next morning Bhai Makhan Singhs family went to the police station, but he was nowhere to be found. The police were leading the family on. They would not tell the family anything.
The family went searching day and night and a month later they got to know he was held in a jail at Ferozepur. After much effort the family were able to meet him. The police were sly and all along kept reassuring the family that he is in good hands. Nothing will happen to him, he hasn’t done anything etc. But they were wrong, after having kept him in jail for three months, the malicious police killed him on 24th May 1993 in a fake encounter. Bhai Makhan Singh and two other Singhs (Bhai Sukhwinder Singh Pakistani and Bhai Sukhwinder Singh Gurdaspuri) were taken to the village of Jhok Harihar and killed in a fake encounter by a nearby bridge, all attaining Shaheedi (martyrdom).
Ajit Newspaper – 25th May 1993 (Page 9) 3 Khadku Killed –
Information given by the family of Shaheed Makhan Singh Chaura