Man fires at Sukhbir Singh Badal doing ‘penance’ at Golden Temple in Punjab, nabbed

AMRITSAR: A man opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday morning while he was serving his penance at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The shooter, who fired at SAD leaders, including Badal, and identified as Narayan Singh Chaura by the police, was overpowered by people on the spot and caught. Additional DCP Harpal Singh said, “There were proper security arrangements here…Sukhbir ji was properly covered (given cover)…Narayan Singh Chaura (assailant) was here yesterday as well…Today too, he first paid obeisance to the Guru… ‘No’, he says when asked if anyone was hurt by the bullet”.

Singh said, “Security arrangements were proper. The person (shooter) tried to do some mischief, but he could not succeed”. The police official responded that Badal was not hurt.

#WATCH | Punjab: Bullets fired at Golden Temple premises in Amritsar where SAD leaders, including party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, are offering ‘seva’ under the religious punishments pronounced for them by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, on 2nd December.

Details awaited. pic.twitter.com/CFQaoiqLkx

— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024

Clad in a a blue ‘sewadar’ uniform, Badal was sitting at the entrance of the Golden Temple with a plaque card around his neck as part of the ‘tankhah’ religious punishment pronounced by Akal Takht Board for religious misconduct during his tenure from 2007 to 2017. Suddenly a man fired at him. People standing around him quickly captured the shooter.

Badal was declared a ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) in August by Akal Takht, which announced religious punishment for him. Badal, who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab from 2007 to 2017, Badal is doing ‘sewadar’ work — washing utensils, cleaning shoes and bathrooms — at the Golden Temple. The Akal Takht issued the punishments for him citing the “mistakes” and “some decisions” taken by SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, “…First of all, I would like to thank Guru Nanak. Jako Rakhe Saaiyan, Maar Sake Na Koy. ‘Sevaks’ were offering ‘seva’ here. 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?…I would like to ask the CM of Punjab, where do you want to take Punjab?…The attacker was caught on the spot. I also thank the security personnel here. Had they not acted promptly…There should be a high-level judicial enquiry into the incident…We will continue with our ‘seva’…”(ANI)