Shaheed Bhai Manjeet Singh Babbar

Bhai Manjeet Singh Doad was born on Oct 30, 1955 to Sardar Karnail Singh and Mata Ratan Kaur in the village Jalwehra Garshankar, Hoshiarpur. He studied at the local village school. To protest against the invasion of the Indian army on the Darbar Sahib, on July 5 1984 Bhai Sahib and 8 other Sikhs hijacked an Indian Airliner from Jammu to Lahore. The other hijackers were:

• Parminder Singh "Harfam Maula" (Leader)

• Gurjinder Singh (Dal Khalsa)

• Dalip Singh

• Gurdip Singh Pardesi

• Malaghar Singh Babbar

• Harbhajan Singh

• Harminder Singh

• Ravinder Singh

Upon landing in Pakistan, they surrendered to the Pakistani Police, and ended their peaceful protest.

On January 20, 1986, three of them were sentenced to death, two were sentenced to life-imprisonment and four were acquitted (Manjeet Singh Babbar, Malaghar Singh Babbar and 2 others). Later in 1989 the death sentence was commuted to life-imprisonment under the orders of a general amnesty.

In 1990, Jathedar Talvinder Singh Babbar, Chief of Babbar Khalsa, made Malaghar Singh Babbar and Manjeet Singh Babbar "Generals", Bhai Manjit Singh was also Jathedar Sahib's brother in law. They both planned to return to India for rejoining the Khalistani movement.

In Pakistan, at Bhog of the 5th continuous Akhand Paat before Bhai Manjit Singh (on the left), went across the border into Punjab, Jathedar Sahib is seated on the right.

On 25 October 1990, four of them attempted to cross the border together to rejoin the Sikh Movement in Punjab (two succeeded). While they were crossing border, the Indian Army was passing and Bhai Malaghar Singh opened fire, and Bhai Manjeet Singh followed.

Many Indian soldiers were killed in this encounter, and these two brave Singh's were also martyred as their ammunition finished. Manjeet Singh Babbar left behind a wife, a son and a young daughter.

In the words of Bhai Manjeet Singh in a letter from prison:

"Our bodies are imprisoned behind high walls but our minds are free. According to the will of the Lord, there is an abundance of Bani being recited here, which would have been difficult if not impossible on the outside. I'm so happy that Satguru ji has given this blessed time to me. I try to take advantage of it as much as possible. But everything is in the hands of the beloved Lord. I have no other desire but that my head should be sacrificed for the Satguru. Don't pray for our long lives, instead, pray that this filth filled body may be fulfilled by being martyred for Sikhi."

Bhai Malaghar Singh also attained martyrdom alongside Bhai Manjeet Singh. Bhai Malaagar Singh was born on May 10, 1965 to Sardar Mohan Singh and Mata Mahinder Kaur in village SmaaNkalaa dist. Ropar Punjab. He became ill in prison and wrote the following words:

"When hardships arrive, all but Akaal Purakh leave you, but the individual should always continue to fulfil his responsibilities."

"Whatever pleases Vahiguru jee is going to happen, so why bother worrying? When one has given his mind and body to Satguru ji, no pain is felt, just Chardee Kala. Perhaps it is because of this, that this jail feels like heaven…."