Sukhbir Singh Badal survives assassination bid at Amritsar's Golden Temple

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former deputy chief minister Punjab Sukhbir Badal narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Dec 4 when a hardline Sikh activist opened fire at him near the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

An alert 'sewadar' standing near Badal confronted the attacker and overpowered him before the assailant managed to fire a bullet.

Badal is offering 'seva' at the Golden Temple under the religious punishments pronounced for them by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

Police arrested Narain Singh Chaura allegedly behind the shooting incident.

“SAD chief Sukhbir Badal was sitting by the Guru Ram Das Dwar as 'Chowkidar'. The 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?” SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema was quoted as saying.

Chaura, allegedly a former militant faces many cases and has remained underground. He is a Dera Baba Nanak area resident.

He was roaming near Sukhbir Badal on Dec 3 at the same place in a white kurta-pajama, sources were quoted as saying.

Chaura is said to be the mastermind of the Burail jailbreak of 2004. He had helped the pro-Khalistani outfit Babbar Khalsa International terrorists — Jagtar Singh Hawara, Paramjit Singh Bheora and their two accomplices Jagtar Singh Tara and Devi Singh — escape from the Burail jail. He had turned off the electricity supply of the jail, according to sources.

Slamming the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, Cheema said, "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 inquiry into the incident...We will continue our service,"

Badal's religious punishment

Badal has been at the Golden Temple to perform the duty of a 'sewadar' or volunteer outside the Temple under 'tankhah' — religious punishment — pronounced by the Sikh clergy.

Holding a spear in one hand, Badal wearing a blue uniform was at the entrance of the Temple in his wheelchair on Dec 3 serving his punishment. He has a fractured leg.

Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who was also in a wheelchair because of his age underwent the same punishment while former Punjab ministers — Bikram Singh Majithia and Daljit Singh Cheema — washed utensils.

Small boards hung around the necks of Badal and Dhindsa, acknowledging their "misdeeds". Both leaders served as 'sewadar' for one hour.

Pronouncing the religious punishment for Badal and other leaders for the "mistakes" committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht on Dec 2 directed the senior Akali leader to serve as a 'sewadar', and wash dishes and clean shoes at the Golden Temple.