KARAM SINGH BABAR
Bhai Karam Singh Babar (20.3.1890 – 1.9.1923) was born at village Daulatpur (district Nawanshahar). His first name was Narain Singh. After initiation he changed his name to Karam Singh. In the 1910s, he migrated to Canada. In 1914-15, he joined Ghadr Party and returned to the Punjab to participate in freedom struggle. After the failure of the Ghadr movement, he did not return to Canada. In November 1921, Bhai Kishan Singh Gargajj formed a militant organization Chakravarti Jatha. By this time Bhai Karam Singh too had been doing alike activities in district Hoshiarpur. Soon both groups joined hands. One of the first conferences of the new organization was announced for April 8, 1922 at his village Daulatpur. His first action was to rob Munshi Ram, a usurper from the village Jadala. With this money, they purchased weapons. Within a few days, warrants were issued for his arrest. In August 1922, Chakravarti Jatha launched its journal Gargajj Akali Doaba. This paper was cyclostyled at the residence of Bhai Hardit Singh of Jassowal. Bhai Karam Singh was named as the editor of the journal. Bhai Karam Singh assumed Babar as his pseudonym (pen name). After a short time the organisation came to be known as Babar Akali Jatha. An award of rupees one thousand (in 1922) was announced for his arrest. On September 1, 1923, Bhai Karam Singh and some other workers of the Babar Akali Jatha were trapped into net by a police tout, at village Bambeli (about 12 km from Phagwara). When the Babar workers reached the village, a large number of soldiers and the police cordoned the village. The Babars, instead of surrendering, tried to escape. They jumped into the river nearby. Bhai Udey Singh was killed while crossing the river. Bhai Karam Singh Daulatpur, Bhai Bishan Singh and Bhai Mohinder Singh succeeded in crossing the river but before they could flee, the armed forces started heavy firing from all the sides. All the three Babars were killed.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)