Police arrested a man who allegedly attempted to shoot SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, on Wednesday. The incident occurred while SAD leaders, including Badal, were performing ‘seva’ as part of religious punishments pronounced by the Akal Takht.
Shots were fired near the Golden Temple premises, creating panic. A nearby ‘sewadar’ intervened by pushing the accused’s hand upward, preventing harm to Badal.
Shooter Identified
The accused has been identified as Narain Singh Chaura, allegedly a former militant with multiple cases against him. Reports suggest Chaura was previously involved in the 2004 Burail Jailbreak, where he aided the escape of Babbar Khalsa International terrorists. He was also seen near Sukhbir Badal on Tuesday, dressed in white kurta-pyjama.
SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, “SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was sitting by the Guru Ram Das Dwar as ‘Chowkidar’. Bullet was fired in his direction… I thank Guru Nanak that he saved his ‘sevak’… This is a huge incident, what era is Punjab being pushed into?”
Cheema criticized the Punjab government, led by the Aam Aadmi Party, asking, “Where do you want to take Punjab?… There should be a high-level judicial enquiry into the incident… We will continue with our ‘seva’.”
Sukhbir Badal’s Religious Punishment
Sukhbir Singh Badal has been serving as a ‘sewadar’ outside the Golden Temple under ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) directed by the Sikh clergy for mistakes attributed to the SAD government from 2007 to 2017.
On Tuesday, Badal, in a blue ‘sewadar’ uniform and with a fractured leg, was seen performing seva while sitting in a wheelchair. Other leaders, including Akali veteran Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, also undertook similar tasks as part of their punishment.
The Akal Takht had instructed these leaders to acknowledge their misdeeds publicly and perform duties such as washing utensils and cleaning shoes at the Golden Temple. Boards hung around their necks highlighted their acts of repentance.