Jagga Singh was born in 1901 or 1902 in village Burj Singh Walateh. Chunnian, Distt. Kasur. Jagga's father Makhan Singh passed away when he was only a small child. His father had owned muraba (250 acres of land) the ownership of which passed to the young Jagga. He grew up under the care of his Chacha (uncle) Roop Singh and mother Bhagaan.

Makhan Singh and Bhagaan had six children before Jagga was born but none of them survived. At last Makhan Singh went to the nearby village Sodhiwala to meet and pay tribute to Sant Sodhi Inder Singh. Sodhi Inder Singh told them to buy a Bakkra (male goat) before the birth and told that it should be touched by the newly born. The Sage Inder Singh also told them to not to name the child with initials of J.

However, when the child was born, an uncle of the child insisted on naming the child Jagat Singh which was against the directions of the saint. In a few days Bakkra fell ill and died. So in the course 12 Bakkras died and were buried in the backyard. Finally the young child survived by the great saint's blessings.

Jagga owned 10 muraba (250 acres of land) so he was not asked to do anything by his chacha and mother. He had grown up as a pampered child. Once he cut a lot of sugar cane from his one uncle and distributed those to his friends. For that, he was given a hard beating by his uncle. Jagga went at night and broke all the Tinds of his uncle's khuh and threw into the well. When this uncle told his shirika to go to the police and report against Jagga, the relatives asked him, "Who told you to name him Jagga?" So he realized his mistake.

In village Burj Singh Wala, most families were Muslim Telis but only 17 or 18 families of Sidhu Jatts. Both communities used to live in harmony. When Jagga was in his teen age, he started to go wrestle at akhara (Open Wrestling Ring) with his friend Sohan Teli. Sohan Teli maintained his friendship with Jagga till the last breath of Jagga. Because of Jagga's fondness of wrestling, this is said in a folk song.
Jagga married Inder Kaur of village Talwandi. They had only a girl child, Gaabbo who is living now at village Vanwala near Lambi in Mukatsar distt. She is believed to be in her 80s now.

During the English rule, all the people of guts and independent nature were watched carefully by the British Governments first units of Informers were Patwari, Nambardar, Thanedar and Safedposh. Jagga was of a medium height, wheatish color, sharp features, strong body, trimmed beard and double ringed kunddian muchhan. One day Jagga went to Patwari to get the numbers (Farad) of his land. Jagga paid no respect to the Patwari and paid no bribe. Patwari refused to give him the Farad. Jagga gave him the worst beating of his life and thus he had to give him farad and apologize as well.


This Kacha Pul was located between Jagga's village Buraj and his in law's village Talwandi. Beharhwala's Nakai used to live at their Bhua's village in Talwandi. These Nakai had some relation with Maharaja Ranjit Singh's in-laws and were very notorious for their evils. Nobody could cross the bridge without their permission. One day, when Jagga was going to cross the bridge, one of the Nakai hit his horse with a bamboo club (daang) thus the horse and Jagga both fell. Though Jagga was alone, the Nakais consisted of 5 to 6 brothers. They had a fierce fight and finally Jagge ne vahni paa lae (gave them a tough beating). Later those Nakais fled the area and settled in Lahore.

Jagga's fame in the area resulted in attracting the ire of the Jaildar of Kal Mokal. Jaildar considered Jagga's braveness to be a challenge. He stuck Jagga in a false case and convicted him for 4 years in jail. When Jagga got released and came back to Buraj, in those days in vill. Bhai Feru a theft incident happened. The inspector of the area was a person named Asgar Ali who was a friend of Jaildar. Both Jaildar and inspector found this theft incident to be another chance to harass Jagga. They called Jagga to appear at the police station but Jagga declined to go. The leading and friendly people of Jagga persuaded him to appear at the Police station. Their names were Kehar Singh and Mehal Singh of Kawaan village and Dulla Singh of Jajjal village. This Dulla Singh made Jagga his Dharam da Puttar. In later days this Dulla Singh and his family killed eight people and were hanged to death.

Jagga agreed to go to the police with them but on the way he disagreed to go as he thought of the haughty nature of inspector Asgar Ali. He said to his fellows clearly, "If this inspector said something insulting, that will be hard to swallow for me. That's why I'm not going back." From that day Jagga went underground and became a Dacoit. First he snatched a riffle from a police sapoy then another from Atma Singh of Acharke village.

The first decoity by Jagga was at village Ghumiari at some goldsmith's house. Ghumiari village is located at the border of Kasur and Lohore distts. Jagga's other companions were Jhanda Singh Nirmal Ke and Thakur Singh Mandeyali. They robbed all the gold from them and lit fire to Vahis (ledgers) which were the loan records of the poor mass. They shared the gold at Jhanda Singh's khuh which was almost 1/2 ser (£4?) for everyone in the group. After that Jagga made his own group. His new members were Banta Singh, his childhood friend Sohna Teli, Lalu Nai (he was Kaana from one eye), Bholu and Bawa. Lalu Nai was an expert in cooking, when all used to sleep at night Lalu Nai was guarding them with a riffle.

While Jagga made many decoities but his most famous decoities are of Sayadpur and Layllpur. Jagga's one nephew, Thakur Singh was the reader of D.S.P. That D.S.P. asked Thakur Singh for the help in capturing Jagga. When Thakur Singh went to Jagga with some offer, Jagga asked him to fulfill his long desire to make an encounter with D.S.P. Thakur Singh felt to be sandwiched in two troubles, Jagga and D.S.P., so he decided to be neutral.

Jagga used to tell police in advance whatever village he went. "Capture me there or don't vex the innocents" were his words. Once he went to his nanke (maternal grandparents home) at village Ghumman Ke to watch a drama. Even though he had sent an advanced notice to police, no police personnel came all night. Jagga tore all the ledgers of that village's Bania and Shahukars and freed all the poor people from their heavy loans.

A woman from village Lakhu ke was his dharam Bhen (baptized sister) who used to serve them food. Jagga gave her countless gold coins. Samelike once Jagga saw an old man with no warm clothes selling carrots in extreme cold, when asked, that old man had no son or daughter. He gave him plenty of gold.

In those days police would sleep in locked police stations, from the fear of Jagga. Police feared Jagga would decoit them their riffles and other ammunition. Inspector Asgar Ali made the two entrances of the station for his protection.

Jagga's fellow Banta Singh had argued with his Chachi on many occasions. Banta's Chachi was involved in adultery (extra marital relations) with a Vairagi of her own village Thamman Ke Wala. He tried to straighten them many times but all his tries were in of no use. One cold night Chachi was sitting and was warming herself in front of fire when Jagga and Banta approached her. They again tried to conciliate her from her bad deeds but she told them in a cold manner to do whatever they want to do, she won't change. They shot her on the spot and went to her lover Bawa Vairagi's home. They challenged him to come out of the house but he didn't come out but locked himself in from the inside. Jagga and Banta called him to come out many times but he didn't and finally they climbed and burst through the roof. From the Paarh (hole), they threw fire in as an idea to make them come out but all the family of about ten people burnt to death instead. Jagga fell in deep sorrow for Vairagi's family's death.