Massa Rangar was Chaudry of Mandiali (also known as Mandiala). He was also a military commander. He desecrated Darbar Sahib in 1740 by smoking (Naquills) in the main building. Tobacco is forbidden in Sikhism. Drinking wine and alcohol while watching dancing girls inside the Darbar Sahib was enough to bring Sikhs into a ‘Do or Die’ situation. All these activities are against the basics of Sikhism. He was doing it with an intention so that he can provoke Sikhs to come to save their epicenter and get killed. The other purpose of this act was to establish that there is no Sikh left in the world.

This news spread in the far-off areas also. There was a group of Sikhs living in the forests of Budha Johr near Bikaner in Rajputana (Rajasthan). When a Sikh Bulaka Singh, who came from Amritsar told them about what he had seen at Darbaar Sahib then the Sikhs from the group asked him why he did come here to tell the story? Why he did not kill Massa by himself? Is there no Sikh left at Amritsar to teach Massa a lesson? The answer was ‘No’. Then the group decided to stop this. Two Sikhs, Bhai Sukha Singh (from village Mari Kambo, his father was Bhai Ladha and mother was Bibi Haro) and Bhai Mehtab Singh Bhangu (from village Mirankot near Amritsar) asked Jathedaar Shaam Singh to allow them to teach a lesson to Massa Ranghar. Mehtab Singh’s grandfather Gurdiyal Rai took Amrit from Guru Gobind Singh and become Gurdiyal Singh. Bhai Mehtab Singh’s father was Hara Singh.

Both Bhai Mehtab Singh and Bhai Sukha Singh got a nod from Jathedaar.

Both put saddles on their horses and started their journey toward Amritsar. They reached the sacred city on 11 August 1740. They make themselves look like harmless Muhammadan Lambardars from the area of Patti (a person appointed from the government to collect revenue), who came there to pay land revenue to Massa Ranghar. They said the same to the city post soldiers and the guards standing at Darbaar Sahib. They were already having bags on their horses as per their plan. The bags were filled with round pieces of broken earthen pots which were very similar to the currency of the time. In the big closed jute bags, it was difficult to recognize the difference. They tie their horses with a tree outside the main gate. When they entered the Darbaar Sahib, they saw Massa Ranghar seated on a cot, smoking Hukka. He has intoxicated with wine also. He was listening to music as well as watching the dance. This scene made their blood boil. Bhai Sukha Singh stood to watch near the door and Bhai Mehtab Singh through bag under Massa Rangarh’s cot. Massa Rangarh thought that the bag was full of currency. He bowed to take that bag out. This was the time for Mehtab Singh to act. With the speed of light, Mehtab Singh took out his sword and with one stroke he cut off Massa’s head. Massa’s companions and his bodyguards were in shock and ran away. Before the recovery of the shock, Bhai Sukha Singh and Bhai Mahtab Singh made a good escape from that area.

Massa’s wife and his brothers-in-law took his headless body to the governor at Lahore and told him that they will not perform the last ceremonies until the killers of the Massa are not found.

This incident shocked Zakriya Khan as well. He summoned all Chaudhries around Amritsar. He asked them to find out those Sikhs who killed Massa. He also promised a handsome prize for that. On hearing this, Harbhagat Niranjinia of Jandiala came forward. He was a sworn enemy of the Sikhs who had helped the government to hunt them down in the past. He came to know about Bhai Mehtab Singh. Bhai Mehtab Singh’s village Mirankot was surrounded by the strong forces under the command of Nur-Uddin.  Harbhagat also accompanied him. Bhai Mehtab Singh was not in the village, but his little son, Rai Singh was there. He was just 5-6 years of age.  Before leaving the village, Bhai Mehtab Singh had placed his son under the protection of the village Lambardar. His name was Natha Khaihra. Nur Din asked him to bring Rai Singh to him. Natha Khaihra had given words to his friend Bhai Mehtab Singh to protect Rai Singh. Natha Khaihra knew that the soldiers will kill Rai Singh. He took Rai Singh on his shoulders and escaped from the other gateway of the village. Natha Khaira’s son, his sister’s son, and his servant accompanied him. Harbhagat Niranjania together with his soldiers hurried after Natha Khaihra. The encounter took place and Natha Khaira fought bravely to save the promise he had given to his friend Mehtab Singh. He attained martyrdom along with his son, his sister’s son, and his servant. Rai Singh also got wounded by having a stab in his neck and was unconscious. The soldiers thought that all were killed and they went away. A woman from village Kamboj near Amritsar happened to pass that way where she found that the child was only wounded. She took him to her home where, under her motherly care, Rai Singh recovered in due course.

In the year 1745, when Mehtab Singh came to his village to see his friends and family, someone told about this to government officials. He was captured, chained, and bought to Lahore. There he was asked to accept Islam or death. Bhai Mehtab Singh said, “No true Sikh can ever agree to give up his faith, to turn his back on the Guru. I shall die as a Sikh.” Thereupon he was publically broken on the Charakhri (big wheels having steel or iron blades to tear the skin off). It was one of the most painful ways of killing someone. Despite all this, Bhai Mehtab Singh kept on meditating and remained calm until his death. His head was then cut off and hung up in Hiramandi (Lahore). His body was thrown into a ditch.                

Bhai Sukha Singh was given the charge of a Jatha. In early 1746 he joined Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. They entered Eminabad in Gujjaranwala Distt. (now in Pakistan). They were attacked by Jaspat Rai (a fanatic Hindu). He was the brother of Lakhpat Rai (a revenue officer in the court of Yahiya Khan, the governor of Lahore). Jaspat Rai was killed in the battle and Lakhpat Rai swore revenge against all the Sikhs. It results in the massacre of Sikhs (Chota Ghallughara) on 1st May 1746 at Kahnuvan village. Bhai Sukha Singh managed to escape to the sandy plains of the Malwa area. 

During the third invasion of Ahmed Shah Durrani in January 1752, Durrani had camped on the North bank of river Ravi near Shahdara preparatory to attack Lahore. It was while out on a foraging expedition that Bhai Sukha Singh and a few Sikhs encountered a strong body of enemy troops. In a fierce battle, Bhai Sukha Singh attained martyrdom along with all the Sikhs of his Jatha.