Shaheed Bhai Anokh Singh jee
This is an account narrated to me by Bhai Amarjeet Singh who has served in the movement from 1984 onwards Bhai Sahib's health is very poor due to the numerous torture's he suffered at the hands of Punjab police.
It was 1985 Bhai Amarjeet Singh lived in a village near dera baba nanak, (the name escapes me now). Bhai Anokh Singh and two other Singhs Shaheed Bhai Satnam Singh and Shaheed Bhai Rashpal Singh arrived at Bhai Amarjeet Singh's house. They asked to stay the night as it was getting dangerous for them to travel. Bhai Amarjeet Singh of course obliged, the Singhs were just getting ready to rest when, someone else came into the house and told Bhai Amarjeet Singh that the police was coming up the road towards the village.
Bhai Anokh Singh decided they should move on and not endanger the people of the village anymore. As they got to the edge of the village Bhai Anokh Singh suggested that the Singhs split up and and make best the escape, they agreed to meet at another safe house the following evening.
With this the Singhs said fateh and departed, within 20 mins the police came knocking on Bhai Amarjeet Singhs' door they always came to his house first. They checked Bhai Sahib's house fully and could not find anything. They had the village surrounded, Bhai Amarjeet Singh had got onto the roof of the house, he saw that police had a encircled the village and where now searching the fields around the village. The search had been continuing for about 2 hours when Bhai Amarjeet Singh went up onto the roof again, he could see that the police was now very close to the houses they were about 400ft away. Then Bhai Amarjeet noticed that in the field nearby that Bhai Anokh Singh was sitting cross legged in field of wheat. He was sure Bhai Anokh Singh could see that the police was no more than 150ft away. But Bhai Anokh Singh was not flinching he was still, immersed in simran. The police were getting closer and closer to Bhai Anokh Singh. Eventually they were less then 5 ft away from him, Bhai Amarjeet Singh could not believe it, he could see Bhai Anokh Singh from over 60ft in the dark, yet the police could not see him from 5ft. During all of this Bhai sahib was still sat cross legged in the field. The police had completed the search and returned to Bhai Sahib's house, they then arrested Bhai Amarjeet Singh and took him away.
Bhai Anokh Singh returned to Bhai Amarjeet Singh's house some weeks later, he would not discuss that night just saying that everything that happens is in Satguru's will, he cannot even begin to comprehend his wondrous ways - and that is the way I think we should leave it.
Shaheedi
Bhai Anokh Singh Babbar had a great desire to die for the Guru’s cause. Bhai Anokh Singh used to say, “May I be a Shaheed and may the enemy even cut me piece by piece, but no cry of pain should come from me.” When Bhai Sahib’s companions freed him from Ludhiana, Bhai Sahib used to say, “After so long Shaheedi came near and I had to run. I was tested and I failed…” Bhai Sahib used to tell his father Bhai Makhan Singh, “Bapoo jee, when the Sikh Sangat does a road block or surrounds a police station (called a Ghirao in Punjabi), you too should go. If you are hit by a bullet, then you will achieve martyrdom, which only comes with great luck.”
Finally, this warrior who welcomed death was arrested while riding his bike by the Jalandhar Police. After bringing him to Vairovaal Police Station (dist. Amritsar), Bhai Sahib was unspeakably tortured. For many days Bhai Sahib was kept hanging upside down in the police station. Foot-long metal rods were heated up and hammered into his legs, from the heels upward. A pin was put through his private parts and an electricity connection was attached to it so that he could be shocked. Hot metal rods were also passed through his chest. But the Guru's Singh took the tortures calmly. All the torturers heard was "Vahiguru". No cries of pain, no screams.
His hip was broken and using a bayonet, his eyes were removed. While he was doing simran, Bhai Sahib’s tongue was cut out. Two foot long bars were heated and then hammered from the soles of his feet up to his knees. Heated rods were put through his chest and one was put through his skull. But this brave son of Dashmesh Pita kept doing ardaas that his kesh and Sikhi would remain intact till his final breath.
After the torture, Bhai Sahib was left on the ground, unable to move. The time for Rehraas arrived. Bhai Sahib opened his eyelids but the sockets that held his eyes were hollow. His beautiful beard was soaked in blood. Those eyes which were once lost in deep meditation had been taken out by the dushts.
Bhai Sahib called out, "Sentry! Bhai Sahib jee, what time is it?" He felt around himself with his hands to find the guard.
"It's 7.15 Babio. What? What has happened to your eyes?"
The Sentry looked at Bhai Sahib's face and felt frightened.
"Oh, it must be time for Sodar then. Sodar tera kayhaa..." Bhai Anokh Singh began to recite Rehraas Sahib lying on the ground. Even though his body was shattered, Bhai Sahib recited the paath in a sweet voice. The Sentry too felt the vairaag.
After Sodar, Bhai Sahib, still lying on the ground began Ardaas. It was a daily part of his routine. "Ten Gurus, Punj Pyaaray, Chaar Sahibzaaday, The Guru's Jhanday and Boongay..." Bhai Sahib then began his personal ardaas: "Hay Akaal Purakh Suchay Paatshah Guru Nanak dev Gareeb Nivaaj Satguru, the day which rose in your bhaanaa has passed in happiness, meditating on your naam. Suchay Paatshah, night has arrived, may it too pass while remembering your Naam and in your BhaaNaa....Satguru, May I be a Shaheed...Suchay Patshaah, save me from becoming a traitor...Satguru, may the Sikhi and kesh you have given me last with me till my final breaths...Such Paatshah, have mercy on all....Bolay So Nihaal...Sat Sree Akaal"
The Jaikara Bhai Sahib sounded echoed throughout the police station.
The Sentry ran to the station-head and surrendered his rifle and tabled his resignation.
"I can't do this job that forces people to kill saints...I can't..." He kept repeating himself.
The SSP cursed, "They are all magicians...another of our officers has left the service because of this paath"
And then another atrocity was committed. Bhai Sahib's tongue was cut off using a metal cutting saw. Streams of blood flowed from Bhai Sahib's mouth but the faithful Singh raised his hands in Ardaas and thanked Vahiguru.
Seeing Bhai Anokh Singh’s avasthaa of doing simran with every breath, a well known butcher police official SSP Azhar Alam was shocked. In the end, the police became tired of all this and shot Bhai Sahib in the station. When the shot was fired, a motor cycle was started so that the gun could not be heard. Over night, Bhai Sahib's body was thrown into the river Beas. But the Shaheed’s soul had already, with the power of naam, been liberated from the body.
After being freed from police custody, Bhai Anokh Singh jee appeared at an amrit sinchaar Smagam. Bhai Sahib's closest friend, Bhai Sulakhan Singh had recently become a Shahid. A Vaak was taken and the shabad came,
ਸੂਹੀ ॥
ਜੋ ਦਿਨ ਆਵਹਿ ਸੋ ਦਿਨ ਜਾਹੀ ॥
ਕਰਨਾ ਕੂਚੁ ਰਹਨੁ ਥਿਰੁ ਨਾਹੀ ॥
ਸੰਗੁ ਚਲਤ ਹੈ ਹਮ ਭੀ ਚਲਨਾ ॥
ਦੂਰਿ ਗਵਨੁ ਸਿਰ ਊਪਰਿ ਮਰਨਾ ॥1॥
the Singhs doing seva and Bhai Anokh Singh knew what this meant. Shahidi was not far off now. One of the Singhs in the Punj Pyaaray became emotional and a tear escaped his eye and rolled down his cheek. Bhai Anokh Singh smiled and said, "Jeeo, when we came on this path, was there any doubt where we would finish? Was death ever a question? So why be sad over this?"
Shortly after, Bhai Sahib was arrested and tortured to death in the most brutal manner.
These are the Singhs whose sacrifice will bear fruit and bring Khalsa Raj. These Singhs of the Guru who have dedicated their everything for the Khalsa.