Shaheed Bhai Tarsem Singh Riali

Babbar Khalsa

 

Amar Shaheed Bhai Tarsem Singh Riali, the Jhujaru warrior of Babbar Khalsa, was born on 10th April 1968 from the blessed womb of Mata Ratan Kaur and in the house of father Sardar Gurdeep Singh in village Riali Khurd, Tehsil Batala, District Gurdaspur. Bhai Sahib’s father used to work as a daily wage worker in the fields of the landlords, he had younger brother, Bhai Nirmal Singh. Bhai Sahib studied up to tenth standard from the government school of his village and passed his twelfth standard from Bhangali village school. Bhai Sahib did his Gurbani Santhaya from a Gursikh in his village, and soon he had mesmerised many Sikh prayers. After graduation, he worked as a fan maker for some time, and then started working as a bus conductor. 

 

One day, Bhai Sahib met the Jhujaru Singhs of Babbar Khalsa, Bhai Puran Singh Chachowali and Bhai Sarabjit Singh Lai Nangal. Bhai Sahib was greatly impressed by the personality of these two Jhujaru Singhs, and gradually bond was created amongst these Singhs. Bhai Sahib secretly started assisting the Singhs in Jhujaru actions. After some time passed like this, in February 1986, he permanently left home and joined the Babbar Khalsa organization. During this time, he punished many anti-Sikh elements. He shot dead a police informer of Talwandi village. He also blew up a CRPF truck and 2 vehicles with bombs between the villages of Riali and Talwandi. After this incident, police started harassing his family and the local villagers. In order to catch him, the police started raiding his house regularly, but the day the police had a definite idea that he was present in the house armed with Jhujaru Singhs, then no Indian security forces would even dare to set foot in the village. 

 

Once Bhai Sahib challenged SSP Gobind Ram, “I will be at my home on this day and this time, if you have the courage, then try to come to my village and I will show you how we welcome our enemies.” But that day none of the Indian paper lions came, and the next day after Bhai Sahib’s departure, a large number of police forces came, gathered the entire villagers in one place and started torturing them, saying, “Quickly, tell us where Tarsem is?” One day, police team under the leadership of evil SSP Gobind Ram arrested Sardar Gurdeep Singh, Mata Ratan Kaur and Bhai Nirmal Singh and took them to the Sadar police station near Batala bus stand. Here SSP Gobind Ram and SHO Ajaib Singh tortured Bhai Sahib’s parents and brother day and night for 14 days. Then they were sent to Gurdaspur Jail with a case of harbouring militants and released after 21 days. Bhai Sahib continued to render services for the freedom of Khalistan. When he met his mother at a hideout after many months, his mother said, “Tarsem son! We are very poor, the police oppressed us and made it difficult for anyone to live in our own house.” But Bhai Tarsem Singh laughed and said, “Mother, no need to worry. Accept this as an order of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj. Pass time by moving here and there.”

 

Then, for a long time, Bhai Sahib was reconciled with the top fighting generals of Babbar Khalsa, Bhai Dharam Singh Kashtiwal and Bhai Sahib Singh Kashtiwal, these warriors shook the tyrants of Delhi. Under the leadership of Bhai Dharam Singh Kashtiwal, Bhai Sahib continued to carry out many Jhujaru actions with complete bravery. Once Bhai Tarsem Singh was coming towards the village on a horse carriage and there was a police checkpoint in front of him. The police recognized Bhai Sahib but they did not have the courage to arrest him, his brother witnessed this scene. 

 

On 9th April 1989, Bhai Tarsem Singh was staying at someone’s house with his two companions Bhai Puran Singh and Bhai Baghel Singh in village Sarchur. The police got a tip-off about this and also found out that he did not have any weapons. Bhai Sahib was taking a bath, the neighbours came and told the Singhs that the entire village has been surrounded by police and CRPF. At that time, they were disappointed because they did not have weapons and started saying to each other, “if we had weapons today, we would have piled up the dead bodies of the enemies.” Bhai Sahib replied, “Singho! We can’t fight as we have no weapons, let’s try to escape, the rest will be in the hands of God, either we will join the list of martyrs and enjoy the lap of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj or we will succeed in continuing the fight for Khalistan.” The Hindustani forces surrounded the house, the Singhs chanted “Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal” and climbed the barn and jumped into the narrow street at the back, but they were surrounded from both sides. 

 

The police saw the Singhs trying to escape and indiscriminately opened fire on the them. Bhai Tarsem Singh Babbar was shot in the chest and Bhai Baghel Singh was shot in the head and stomach both attained martyrdom on the spot. Bhai Puran Singh was taken away injured by the police.

 

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