behla brotehers

[SSB]

The Martyrdom of the Behla Brothers

By Baljeet Singh Khalsa in Khandaydhaar June 2003

In the Taran Taaran area, there is a village, Behla. In Behla, Sd. Arlok Singh, a farmer

had two sons, Dilbahg Singh and Surjeet Singh. Because Dilbaag Singh was of a

religious bent of mind, he left his family in 1980 and began to stay with the Kar Seva

Babas. His family tried to bring him back many times, but he refused outright. In the

end, the family was forced to accept his decision.

When in 1981 the Dharam Yudh Morcha was reaching its climax, Sant Jarnail Singh

jee’s personality was coming into the spotlight and young Sikhs were being drawn to

him. While staying with the Kar Seva Babas, Dilbaag Singh found out about Sant Jarnail

Singh and left to join him. The Kar Seva Babas complained to Sant jee that he had stolen

their sevadaars, but Sant jee replied, “I didn’t go and bring them here. If they go with

you, then you can take them.” The Babas tried with all their effort to convince the young

Singhs to come back, but who could convince them? Dilbaag Singh and his friends

stayed with Sant Jarnail Singh.

Because of Dilbaag Singh the entire Behla famly became close to Sant Jarnail Singh jee.

fifteen year old Surjeet Singh (Behla) also began to go to Darbaar Sahib. When Surjeet

Singh Behla returned after three months in Ferozepur Jail due to having given his arrest

in the Morcha, Sant Jarnail Singh patted him on the back and said, while motioning to his

older brother, “Ok young lion, we’ve made an inseparable bond with this one (Dilbaag

Singh), what will you do now?”

Surjeet replied, “I’m also here with you Sant jee, you can give me whatever seva you

want.” Then Surjeet Singh also began to assist Sant Jarnail Singh with his brother.

In the middle of 1983, Dilbaag Singh and his two friends Soorat Singh Harchovaal and

Rayshem Singh Booh shot and injured Keval Krishan, the Congress (I) leader of

Harchovaal. It was well known in the area that Keval Krishan spoke very insultingly

about Sant Jarnail Singh. The boys had very poor weapons but they managed to inure

Keval Krishan. After this action, the police began to pursue the three immediately and

Dilbaag Singh was arrested after being injured. Rayshem Singh and Soorat Singh ran

into a sugar cane field, which was then surrounded by the police and fired upon. Soorat

Singh was injured in the leg and was arrested, while Resham Singh just barely escaped.

When Sd. Tarlok Singh Behla read about his son’s arrest in the newspaper, he came

immediately to meet Sant Jarnail Singh. Tarlok Singh recalls that Sant jee was very upset

and called all the Singhs to the roof of Guru Ram Das Langar and in ire said, “Well, if

you want to what Dilbaag Singh and others have done, just do your own actions, then

take whatever money you need and just go home…”

All the Singhs were standing with hands clasped together and some said “What is our

fault? We’ll stay here and obey your orders and serve the Panth.” At first, Sant jee

refused to arrange for Dilbaag Singh’s defence but soon his anger cooled. Dilbaag Singh

was indicted in three cases, and in the time it took to arrange bail, two more cases were

registered. Bhai Tarlok Singh tells us, “When I went to meet Sant Jarnail Singh in these

days, he said in sadness, ‘You are following and supporting our Singh Dilbaag Singh at

ever step. I wish I could repay you for all this…’

After saying this, Sant jee pulled out some money from his pocket and tried

to hand it to

me. I then said ‘Sant jee, all my money is yours already.’ Then with a sweet rebuke,

Sant jee motioned towards a cattle prod and said ‘you see that whip?’

I then said, ‘If your whips hit me, then it would be my good fortune.’ After hearing this,

Sant jee became serious and said ‘you should listen to what I say’

In the end, I was forced to take the money.

A nice judge dismissed all but one case that was registered on Dilbaag Singh and called

the other illegitimate. Tarlok Singh then took his son to Sant jee. Sant jee scolded him

sweetly and told him not to repeat his mistake and then allowed him to rejoin him, and

Tarlok Singh returned to his village. Soon after this, the Indian Army surrounded Sree

Darbaar Singh and Bhai Dilbaag Singh Behla along with other Singhs was martyred

fighting the Indian Forces.

Surjeet Singh Behla

The attack on the Sree Darbaar Sahib woke up the sleeping Sikh youth and the young

Surjeet Singh Behla had already received the company and love of Sant Jarnail Singh jee.

His whole being was shaken. His feet began to walk automatically on the path of the

Sikh Struggle. First he joined Shaheed Bhai Gurdev Singh Usmaanvalaa and Badala’s

group and then later he joined with Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochahal.

After some time, someone informed the police and Surjeet Singh was arrested. Surjeet

Singh was taken to Maal Mandee and the Tarn Taaran CIA Staff, where he was

inhumanly tortured by Sita Ram. The police weren’t able to get any information from

Surjeet Singh nor could they change his firm mind (to turn away from the freedom

struggle). When the second attack on Darbaar Saahib took place (Black Thunder),

Surjeet Singh was in jail.

After being released from jail, Surjeet Singh resumed his militant activities and on many

occasions, despite being surrounded, he ran firing out of the police cordons. Surjeet

S

ingh became a “Class A” militant. He was now the Lieutenant of the Bhindranwala

Tiger Force under the leadership of Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochahal, and was most

close to Baba Manochahal. In the 1991 elections, the Baba Manochahal group made the

farsighted decision to support the Sikh Student Federation group and participate in the

elections. But this decision was opposed by some militant groups. They did not

understand the earlier Government strategy of cancelling the elections and decided to

boycott the elections, which proved to be a suicidal decision.

After the Beant government came to power, the genocide which took place in the villages

left international human rights organizations horrified, but these atrocities did not affect

the militants’ determination and faith even in the slightest.

In these days, Surjeet Singh made a secret bunker in an empty building in his village, and

lived there with one companion. The mason who helped construct this bunker informed

the police and the Tarn Taaran SSP Ajit Sandhu, SP Operations, Khoobee Ram, DSP

Gurjeet and other well known police officers led a group of soldiers and police to the

bunker. This was June 7, 1992. The Police believed that this hidden bunker only had

weapons and not Behla himself. But Behla and the other Singh were present in the

bunker along with another Singh who supplied them food. The terrified police officers

took the Village Head and other innocent villagers as shields and entered the building to

search it.

The mason began to break the bunker and Behla and his companions heard this and

understood what was going on. These beloveds of the Guru performed an ardaas in their

mind and decided to become martyrs. They took their weapons and opened the inner

door of the bunker. When they stepped out, they immediately let out a burst and the

searching army/police team ran away. The Officer

s went on the highest roof of the

building and once the encounter began, were stranded there.

After the Police had run away, Behla and his companions searched the ground floor of

the building, where they found the Village Head. Behla was shocked to find him here

and asked why he had come. The Head and others explained how the police had brought

them as shields. Behla told them he would give them cover fire and help them escape the

building.

Before helping the Village Head leave, he gave him a final letter for his family which had

three main messages:

1) Tell my father not to leave Behla village

2) Tell my wife to obey my mother and father.

3) At a certain place, I have put Rs. 20 000 and tell my father to take that money and

arrange Akhand Paaths for us.

After giving this message, Surjeet Singh gave the innocent villagers cover-fire and sent

them out. Taking inspiration from them the Chamkaur Sahib battle, a unique type of

fight began.

At the start of the encounter, the Punjab Police and the “brave” soldiers of the Indian

army took innocent villagers as human shields and fired a shower of bullets towards the

building. The villagers still become emotional when they tell how the security forces

made the villagers stand around the building and the police fired between their legs.

They also tell us how Behla in a thundering voice was yelling Jaikaras and also curses,

saying “Fight us straight! Why are you putting innocent people in front of you?” But

these insults could not make the “brave” Indian soldiers nor the Punjab Police feel any

shame.

The villagers smile and tell us how Behla’s bullets avoided the villagers but kept hitting

the police officers. The army and police brought bullet proof tractors, armoured cars and

mortar guns, but the two hungry and tired Singhs fought this amazing force for 36 hours,

and were finally ma

rtyred. That building which held the bunker is still standing today in

ruins as a witness to the heaving fire and bombing that took place.

When the Security Forces saw that only two Singhs had fought them, they took 6

innocent villagers who had been wounded and killed them and told the press that 9

militants had been killed. Because of the slaughter of these innocents, the police was

heavily criticized and the bravery of Srujeet Singh Behla was discussed in every village

of Punjab.

Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochahal heard about Bhai Behla’s martyrdom and said

“Today my right arm has been broken.” He wrote an emotional poem on the martyrdom

of Bhai Behla, and when reciting it, he would begin to cry. Perhaps today no one speaks

about the martyrdom of these Singhs openly, due to fear, but that time will come when

ballads of their bravery will again be openly sung on stages.

[khalsa88]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Parnam Shaheeda nu

[SSB]

has anyone got a pictures of the behla bros ????

[Akaali]

Daas was speaking to Baba Manochahal's son yesterday, and we were browsing images of babaji and the shaheed singhs on his computer, there are so many rare pictures, on his PC, I wish I could share them.

Saw a few of the behla brothers, and the kothi where they got shaheedi. Learnt alot from him. :lol:

[GABROO KHALISTAN DAH]

parnaam shaheeda nu.........................

[Guest SatwantBeantKehar]

The world needs to know what material kalgeedhar de sons are made of !!

[SSB]

daas was askin has anyone got any pics plz do if u hav them !