CHANDIGARH: Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar, chief of Babbar Khalsa International has embraced
Martyrdom, He was killed in an encounter with the Indian security forces on the morning of August 9 near Sahnewal, Ludhiana district. The encounter version has been given by mercenary Sikh director general of Punjab police, K.P.S. Gill. The Babbar Khalsa International had not given its side fully. After Bhai Sukhdev Singh’s arrest Rumors are rife in Punjab that the Indian security forces have arrested several important militant leaders from a site of their meeting and that they are being done away with one by one.
The arrest theory has gained currency after a statement by the police chief that the Sikh militant movement will be contained by September.
Late Wed. Bhai Mahal Singh Babbar, said to W.S.N. “August 8, Bhai Sukhdev Singh met BRI activist at 9 a.m. After leaving he was picked up by police and tortured for 18 hours and then killed.”
The Babbar Khalsa International in an earlier statement had revealed that Bhai Sukhdev Singh had been picked up by Indian security forces at Chaheru village in Jalandhar district on Aug. 8 and was shown as killed in an encounter near Dehlon on the morning of Aug. 9.
The B.K.I. deeply mourns the death. It recounted the services rendered to the Sikh nation by Bhai Sukhdev Singh. B.K.I. admits that it was an irreparable loss but asserted that the Sikh struggle would continue.
It warned police officers of grave consequences of their action, The B.K.I gave a call for a three day Punjab strike to mourn the death and to protest against India’s highhanded action in eliminating the Sikh leadership one after the other.
As well as the bandh call by B.K.I six other Panthic Organizations added their names to the strike, Asking that the 15th of August be added to protest against the atrocities of the police against Sikhs they hope to further present a unified front.
According to Gill, the police was put on alert on the day Bhai Gurjant Singh Budsinghwala’s bhog ceremony was scheduled because it was thought that militants would perform a major action to coincide with it. The police signaled a Maruti car coming from Dehlon side to halt. Two youths tried to run away after leaving the car. While, running the youths fired on the police party. The police answered the firing. The exchange continued for half an hour. It was discovered that one of the two youths had been killed while the other escaped. From a diary found from the car, the police identified the dead man as Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar. There are numerous chinks in the version Newsmen were shown a Maruti car used by Bhai Sukhdev Singh which was parked at Dehlon police station. The newsmen saw the rear seat full of blood stains. It also had a black turban stained with blood. There were marks of bullets on car’s wind-screen The newsmen also visited the site of the alleged incident. The people of Dharpur village said they heard half a dozen gun-shots at about 4 a.m. and thereafter intermittent firing continued for about half an hour. At the time of the press conference, apart from Gill, others present were D.I.G. (Operations) Sube Singh D.I.G. Chander Shekhar, S.S.P, Chatapadhaya and Khanna S.S.P. R.K. Bodi. Presence of all these men at the press conference is surprising because they are well recognized as anti-Khalistan policemen.
Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar was a highly religious person, He was a dedicated Sikh. He belonged to Desuwal village of Amritsar district. He came to political limelight when he occupied a few rooms in the Darbar Saheb complex in 1982 along with his other colleagues. ‘This group was critical of the late Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Bhai Sukhdev Singh and his colleagues were then quite close to the late Sant Harchand Singh Longowal,
Bhai Sukhdev Singh’s relations with Sant Bhindranwale underwent a sea of change in the wake of the operation “Blue Star” in June 1984 when both fought together against India Sant Bhindranwale not only supplied arms to Bhai Sukhdev Singh and his colleagues but also gave encouragement to fight against Delhi’s armed aggression.
While the Sant was killed fighting India, Bhai Sukhdev Singh used relaxation period in the curfew restrictions to make a tactical withdrawal from the complex. He later joined the B.K.I. which emerged as a powerful armed force to carry on the movement for Khalistan.
The Indian police held Bhai Sukhdev Singh responsible for the killings of Nirankari chief Gurbachan Singh, several Congress (I) and other pro-Indian leaders. Gill observed that Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar was even more “dangerous” for India than Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala.
A significant feature of Bhai Sukhdev Singh’s fight for Khalistan was his sense of determination against India. His organization, B.K.I., grew into a vast fighting machine which posed the most serious danger to India. It was a well-knit organization. Its members were relatively more educated than members of a few other militant groups. They specialized in the use of explosives. Indian authorities were mortally afraid of the B.K.I.
The death of Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar is an event of historic importance. The Indian state is celebrating the death while Sikhs are shocked beyond words. There is gloom in Punjab. It will take some time for B.K.I. to recover from the shock.
Article extracted from this publication >> Aug 21, 1992
