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A court in Amritsar has granted bail to Narain Singh Chaura, who was accused of firing at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on December 4, 2024, within the Golden Temple premises.
The bail order was confirmed by Advocate Baljinder Singh on Tuesday. Chaura, who had been in judicial custody for four months, is currently lodged in Ropar jail and will be released following the court’s directive.
Background of the Incident
On December 4, 2024, an assassination attempt was made on SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal while he was performing ‘seva’ (voluntary service) at the Golden Temple. The act was part of a religious punishment (‘tankhah’) imposed on him by the Akal Takht in August. This punishment was in response to decisions made during the SAD-led government’s tenure from 2007 to 2017, which were deemed controversial.
As part of the ‘tankhah’, Badal sat at the entrance of the Golden Temple with a placard around his neck, when the gunfire incident occurred.
Reaction from Chaura’s Family
Following the attack, Jasmeet Kaur, Chaura’s wife, expressed her disapproval of her husband’s actions. Speaking to reporters, she revealed that Chaura had told her he was attending a memorial event in Amritsar, and she had no prior knowledge of his involvement in the attack.
“I didn’t know what had happened until reporters came knocking at my door. He had previously been in jails in Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Gurdaspur. I don’t think what he did was right,” said Kaur.
Investigation and Alleged Links to Radical Groups
Security sources have suggested that Narain Singh Chaura had ties to radical organizations and had been under intelligence surveillance since his return from Pakistan. Authorities were already monitoring his movements before the Golden Temple shooting.
Following the attack, Chaura was arrested and remained in custody for four months before being sent to 14-day judicial remand on December 16. Now, with the court granting him bail, the legal battle in this high-profile case is expected to continue.
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