GURMUKH SINGH LALTON

Baba Gurmukh Singh (3.12.1892 – 13.3.1977), son of Bhai Hoshnak Singh, was born at village Lalton Khurd (district Ludhiana). In 1914, he boarded Komagata Maru ship, which had been hired by Baba Gurdit Singh to go to Vancouver (Canada). The passengers of the ship were not allowed to land and the ship had to return. The ship docked at Budge Budge port (near Calcutta) on September 29, 1914. Here, the passengers were ordered to board a special train to the Punjab. Gurmukh Singh was taken to Ludhiana. He was interned in his village. This filled Gurmukh Singh with hatred for the British. He joined the Ghadr Party. He participated in Sahnewal and Mansuran dacoities. He also tried to contact the Sikh soldiers of the British Indian army for mutiny. The Ghadr movement failed and he was arrested. He was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was sent to Andamans. In 1922, he was transferred to Salem jail (Tamilnadu). When the police was escorting the prisoners to Salem jail, he jumped from the train and escaped. From here he went to Nander (Hazur Sahib) and then moved to Amritsar. In 1924, he went to Russia and joined the Communist Party. He spent the next 10 years in Russia. From here, he visited the U.S.A. He reorganised the Ghadr Party. During this period he tried to enter India via Afghanistan but the Afghan authorities arrested him. The Russian government helped his release. Finally, in 1934, he succeeded in secretly entering India. He was arrested soon after. He remained in jail till 1947. After 1947, he published Desh Bhagat Yadan (a Punjabi weekly) and Path of Peace (an English monthly) two journals from Jullundur. He played major role in establishment of Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall at Jullundur. He died in 1977.

(Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)