Former Terrorist Attempts to Shoot Sukhbir Badal at Golden Temple, Subdued by Public
A former Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist, Narain Singh Chaura, attempted to shoot Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Wednesday. The shooter was quickly subdued by people present at the scene and handed over to the police.
Sukhbir Badal, who was performing guard duty at the temple as part of a religious penance, was unharmed in the incident. Videos from the scene showed the wheelchair-bound Badal, dressed in a blue ‘sewadar’ uniform and holding a spear, ducking for cover as Chaura drew his weapon. Temple officials and bystanders acted swiftly, overpowering the assailant.
Chaura, who had crossed into Pakistan in 1984, was involved in smuggling weapons and explosives into Punjab. He is also known for writing a book on guerrilla warfare and “seditious” literature while in Pakistan. Chaura was implicated in the 2004 Burail jailbreak case, where four inmates, including the assassins of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, escaped after digging a 94-foot tunnel. He has been charged in numerous cases in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Ropar districts.
Police confirmed that Sukhbir Badal was provided adequate security. Senior police officer Harpal Singh stated, “Security arrangements were in place. The shooter attempted to cause harm but was unsuccessful.”
The shooting occurred a day after Sukhbir Badal, a Z-plus protectee, began his guard duty at the Golden Temple following an order from the Akal Takht, the highest Sikh religious body. The directive was part of a punishment for past mistakes made by the SAD government in Punjab between 2007 and 2017, including incidents of sacrilege and the police firing at Kotkapura.
In addition to Sukhbir Badal, former Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa was also assigned guard duty at the Golden Temple, while other Akali Dal leaders, including former Cabinet ministers, were tasked with cleaning toilets and serving in the community kitchen.
