Shaheedi For the Guru: Shaheed Bhai Darshan Singh, Delhi 1984
By Bhai Preet Singh in Soora August 1985
By Bhai Preet Singh in Soora August 1985
Introduction
Bhai Darshan Singh jee was a very skilled and fast Akhand Pathi Singh. He also did wonderful kirtan. Bhai Darshan Singh was a nitnemi, amrithdari Singh who was always in Chardi Kala. Bhai Sahibs wife and children were all amritdhari.
Bhai Darshan Singh was an employee in the Indian Intelligence Bureau and worked there all day, but all night he would spend doing rauls in Akhand Paaths.
Assassination
On October 31, 1984 Bhai Beant Singh and Bhai Satwant Singh assassinated Indra Gandhi and took revenge for the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar. The anti-Sikh massacre began shortly after.
Bhai Darshan Singh was in Uttam Nagar Delhi at the home of Bhai Preet Singh doing seva in Akhand Paath Sahib when news reached that Sikhs were being killed across Delhi. It was 10.30am when someone called out from outside that the local Gurdwara was being attacked. Bhai Sahib motioned with his hands tat he wished to be relieved from his raul at Akhand Paath Sahib. Bhai Preet Singh sent a young child to sit at taabiya to read the Paath.
Bhai Darshan Singh rose and Bhai Preet Singh said, “Bhai Sahib, please keep doing seva in the Akhand Paath Sahib. It is not safe to go out at this time.” Bhai Darshan Singh would not hear it and he got on his cycle. As he was leaving, Bhai Sahib said, “The Gurdwara has been attacked and I am going to receive Shaheedi.”
Bhai Darshan Singh himself lived in Uttam Nagar. When he reached home, he threw his cycle aside and ran to get his big kirpan. 4-5 other Singhs also joined him. Bhai Sahib told the Singhs that the Gurdwara Sahib was under attack and they should do anything in their power to stop it. If they became Shaheed in this seva, it would be their great fortune.
Fighting the Mob & Shaheedi
A young girl grabbed a nishaan sahib and the other Singhs with their kirpans began to walk towards the attacking mob. The mob began to throw rocks and bricks from afar and tried to make the Singhs run away but the Singhs charged forward and sent the mob running. The Singhs with Bhai Darshan Singh were injured badly however and fell to the ground.
The mob returned with twice their original strength and fell upon Bhai Darshan Singh. Bhai Sahib fought back in a way that is perhaps impossible to match. In the end however, Bhai Darshan Singh too fell to the ground and the mob smashed his head with iron bars.
Bhai Darshan Singh’s father Bhai Rakha Singh and 3 others took the body home and began to do paath. The family sat by the body for two days reciting baani and after that, Bhai Sahib’s body was cremated.
