Attempt On Sukhbir Singh Badal's Life At Golden Temple, Shooter Held

Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief, was targeted in a shooting incident early on Wednesday morning while performing his penance at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The attacker, identified as Narain Singh from Gurdaspur district, was swiftly overpowered by bystanders before he could harm Badal. No injuries were reported, and further details are awaited.

Badal, 62, a former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, is currently serving a religious punishment, or 'tankhah,' after the Akal Takht reprimanded him for mistakes made during the SAD's tenure in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. As part of his penance, Badal has been performing 'sewadar' duties, including washing dishes and cleaning shoes at the Golden Temple and other gurdwaras. For the past two days, he has been stationed at the Golden Temple entrance in a blue 'sewadar' uniform, holding a spear despite a cast on his leg, seated in a wheelchair.

Visuals from the scene show Singh approaching Badal, drawing a gun, and firing. However, the shot missed its target, thanks to a quick-thinking man nearby who restrained the shooter. Police have arrested Singh, and investigations are ongoing to determine the motive behind the attack.

Naresh Gujral, a former SAD MP, condemned the attack, expressing concern over the state of law and order in Punjab. "It is very unfortunate that this attack took place, we are thankful to the Almighty that Sukhbir Badal was not harmed. Our party has been saying time and again that the law and order situation in Punjab is deplorable. The government has failed on this front and nothing is being done. You can see an attack at the gate of the Golden Temple," he told NDTV.

The attack comes nearly three months after the Akal Takht declared Badal 'tankhaiya' for his actions, including the controversial pardon of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.

Attacker's History

Narain Singh, the alleged shooter, is reportedly linked to the Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa. He is also believed to have masterminded the 2004 Burail jailbreak, in which several high-profile prisoners, including Babbar Khalsa chief Jagtar Singh Hawara, escaped after digging a 94-foot tunnel.