AMRITSAR, Dec 4: Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal escaped a bid on his life on Wednesday when a former Khalistani terrorist fired from a close range at Punjab’s ex deputy chief minister at the Golden Temple’s entrance here but missed as plainclothes policemen overpowered him.
The audacious attack, which occurred at around 9:30 am, was captured on cameras by mediapersons who had gathered to cover the second day of Badal performing the duty of ‘sewadar’ at the main gate of the Sikh shrine as religious penance for “mistakes” committed by the SAD government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
As other devotees were entering, the shooter, identified as former terrorist Narain Singh Chaura, slowly walked towards Badal (62), a Z+ protectee who was sitting in a wheelchair due to a fractured leg, and pulled out a gun from his pocket.
Chaura, 68, was seen at the shrine on Tuesday as well.
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Jasbir Singh, who was standing close to Badal in plainclothes, sensed the threat to the senior Akali leader and pounced on the shooter, grabbed his hands and pushed them upwards after which the attacker was overpowered with the help of other security personnel and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) task force members.
In the melee, the gun fired and the bullet hit the entrance wall of the shrine behind Sukhbir Badal, who escaped unhurt.
Sukhbir Singh Badal is the son of five-time former chief minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal and had recently announced his decision to step down as SAD president. He was the deputy chief minister of Punjab from August 2009 to March 2017.Responding to a question, Bhullar said the security deployment at the shrine was sufficient. Police cannot carry out frisking because religious sentiments are involved, he said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the attack on Badal and said the entire incident would be probed impartially, while opposition parties demanded his resignation, alleging “breakdown” of law and order in the state.
“The incident that took place at Golden Temple today has shaken every person and every patriot in this country. The Punjab government will have to give an answer,” BJP spokesperson person Sudhanshu Trivedi said. (PTI)
