Shaheed Bhai Malkit Singh alias Bapu Rajasthani

Khalistan Commando Force

 

Among the most fearless Jhujaru Singhs of the Khalistan Commando Force, the name of Shaheed Bhai Malkit Singh alias Bapu Rajasthani stands tall and unshaken. A symbol of unwavering resolve and sacrifice, his presence left an indelible mark on a defining chapter of Sikh history. The at 1984Tribute.com team, deeply committed to preserving the legacy of such warriors, felt a profound responsibility to document the life of the Jhujaru Singh seen in the powerful photograph alongside General Labh Singh, as well as the iconic image from Sarbat Khalsa, where Bhai Malkit Singh stands resolutely beside Bhai Manbir Singh Chaheru. These images captured more than moments in time—they reflected courage, conviction, and an unbreakable spirit. After tireless efforts and determined searching, we were finally able to connect with the family of this senior Jhujaru Singh. Through their voices and memories, the world will now come to know the story of a man whose life was defined by faith, sacrifice, and fearless commitment to the Sikh nation. 

 

Bhai Malkit Singh alias Bapu was born in 1955, in the house of Sardar Joginder Singh and from the blessed womb of Mata Joginder Kaur in Ganganagar, Rajasthan. Bhai Malkit Singh was later married to Bibi Harjit Kaur and they had 2 children, daughter Sukhvir Kaur and son Brahmdeep Singh. From childhood, Bhai Sahib had a fearless personality and was inspired by the speeches of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale. The attack on Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar in June 1984 had a deep impact of Bhai Sahib and he had decided to avenge the killing of innocent Sikh pilgrims. At first, Bhai Sahib came in contact with Bhai Gurdev Singh Usmanwala of Panthic Committee and Bhai Gurnam Singh Bandala. Bhai Sahib would travel to Pakistan to bring back weapons and ammunition for the Jhujaru Singhs of the Sikh freedom movement. 

 

Bhai Malkit Singh Bapu lived at home while assisting the Jhujaru Singhs in actions. The person Bhai Sahib used to store weapons with was eventually arrested by CRPF, and during torture he gave all information on Bhai Sahib. The police now started raiding the house to arrest Bhai Sahib, luckily Bhai Sahib avoided the arrest and decided to leave home permanently. Bhai Sahib was very close to the Jhujaru Singhs of Khalistan Commando Force, and due to his dedication and fearlessness, Bhai Sahib was given the rank of Lieutenant General. Bhai Sahib’s main duty was to bring weapons over the border from Punjab as well as doing Jhujaru actions. It is said that Bhai Malkit Singh Bapu’s name was amongst top of the list for weapon smugglers in India. 

 

Bhai Sahib was only 30/32 years old, but due to his beard being white, fellow Jhujaru Singhs use to call him Bapu. Bhai Sahib was very close to his Jhujaru brothers such as, General Labh Singh, Bhai Harjinder Singh Jinda, Bhai Charanjit Singh Channi, Bhai Satnam Singh Bawa, Bhai Gurdev Singh Satyawal, Bhai Harbhajan Singh Mand, Bhai Wassan Singh Zaffarwal, Bhai Ajaib Singh Bajwa, Bhai Gurjit Singh Harihar Jhok, Bhai Gurjant Singh Rajasthani and Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu. All the above Jhujaru Singhs did many Jhujaru actions together and took the Sikh struggle to new heights. Bhai Sahib also carried out the Jhujaru action to free Bhai Gurjant Singh Rajasthani and Bhai Rajvir Singh Raji from police custody. Both of the Jhujaru Singhs were serving life sentences for the assassination of a minister in Rajasthan. Bhai Sahib lived like a family with his Jhujaru brothers. Bhai Sahib had made secret compartments in the trucks, in which he smuggled weapons. Once the police confiscated one of Bhai Sahib’s, Bhai Sahib ran away from the police, but later he found out that the police did not find any weapons due to the secret compartments. But then a few days later, the police arrested another Singh from the group and during torture, he gave the police information on the secret compartments. When the police further investigated the confiscated truck, they found 13 Lakh Rupees and 3 magazines loaded with bullets. 

 

A brutal police officer from Dharamkot police station, ASI Mahinder Bawa was known to have killed many young Sikh men in staged police encounters. He was like a real monster who took joy in seeing the blood of Sikhs. When Bhai Sahib got to know about this, he took the decision to punish this evil man. Bhai Sahib along with 2 real brothers from Gardewal village attacked the ASI and killed him along with some CRPF soldiers too. Later, the 2 brothers from Gardewal village were made Shaheed by Sumedh Saini. In January 1988, Bhai Sahib alongside General Labh Singh, Bhai Harjinder Singh Jinda, Bhai Satnam Singh Bawa along with others went to Delhi to carry out an action. In this group there was a police tout who had disguised himself as a Jhujaru Singh, he had Bhai Harjinder Singh and Bhai Satnam Singh Bawa arrested. Bhai Sahib along with General Labh Singh managed to escape this trap. Bhai Sahib was also involved in the biggest Bank Robbery in the Indian history. 

 

On 23rd June 1988, Bhai Sahib was travelling on a scooter with General Labh Singh from Jalandhar to Phagwara. Police touts had been scattered all over Punjab to assist the police in capturing Jhujaru Singhs. On this day, a police tout recognised these 2 Jhujaru Singhs and informed the police. Bhai Sahib realised he was being followed, and due to the traffic jam, both Jhujaru Singhs abandoned the scooter and ran into Lyallpur Khalsa College. The time was roughly 1pm, Bhai Sahib gave cover fire while General Labh Singh to escape. The battle between Bhai Sahib and the police continued for 20 minutes. But when Bhai Malkit Singh Bapu tried to jump over the wall, he was wrestled down by the police. In the scuffle between Bhai Sahib and the police, Bhai Sahib swallowed a capsule cyanide and gave his martyrdom. The police tried to save him by taking him to hospital, because they knew he had vast information on the running of the Khalistan movement, but Bhai Sahib was declared dead at the hospital. 

 

After the martyrdom of Shaheed Bhai Malkit Singh alias Bapu Rajasthani, the Punjab police DGP KP Gill called a press conference straight away and said, “The second Jhujaru Singh who escaped could be Bhai Gurnam Singh Bandala. Malkit Singh had 50,000 Rs reward on his head. The wanted men were spotted on a scooter by the civil clothed police officers on Jalandhar Shauni Road, they got off the scooter at Ruby National Hospital and then ran into Lyallpur Khalsa College on GT Road. SSP Mohammed Izhar Alam got this information via the wireless and rushed to the location with his team. When the 2 Jhujaru Singhs realised they had been surrounded, they ran to the left side of the Khalsa College. The police team also got out of their vehicles and perused them on foot. One of the Jhujaru Singhs managed to escape, and Malkit Singh was wrestled down by SSP Alam. In the encounter, Jhujaru Singhs fired 8 rounds of bullets to which the police also returned fire. But no one was injured from the 2 Jhujaru Singhs. The captured man was identified as Malkit Singh Bapu, a resident of Rajasthan.” DGP KP Gill told the reporters, “Malkit Singh was involved in the Ludhiana’s Punjab National Bank heist, the attack on J F Rebeiro in PAP Complex and the attack on Dr Kewal Krishan, the general secretary of Punjab Pardesh Congress in Mukerian. He was main supplier of weapons to Jhujaru Singhs and was the right arm of General Labh Singh.”

 

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Malkit Singh alias Bapu Rajasthani