Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal performed ‘seva’ at Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib on Thursday, just a day after surviving an assassination attempt at the Golden Temple. The assailant, identified as Narain Singh Chaura, attempted to shoot Badal while he was engaged in ‘seva’, but the attack was thwarted, and the assailant was quickly apprehended.
Badal’s act of ‘seva’ comes after he was declared a ‘tankhaiya’
Badal’s act of ‘seva’ comes after he was declared a ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht in August, due to “mistakes” and “decisions” made by the SAD-led government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. As part of his punishment, Badal was seen washing utensils at the Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib, with family members joining him in the service.
Following the attack, Bikram Singh Majithia, General Secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal, criticized the Punjab Police, particularly SP Harpal Singh Randhawa, who was captured on CCTV shaking hands with the attacker, Narain Singh Chaura. Majithia stated, “Sukhbir Singh Badal is alive today by the grace of God… Yesterday, I released a video of SP-level officer Harpal Singh Randhawa shaking hands with Narain Singh Chaura. Have we ever seen a police officer shaking hands with an ISI agent? Punjab Police has launched a cover-up operation, and the High Court or Supreme Court should investigate this matter.”
Majithia also aimed Amritsar Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar for suggesting that Badal might have orchestrated the incident to gain sympathy. He accused Bhullar of making such remarks to protect his position and cover up his failures.
Police sources revealed that the attacker, Narain Singh Chaura, is a hardened terrorist who had returned from Pakistan and previously led the Akal Federation. He has authored books on guerrilla warfare and has been involved in smuggling weapons and explosives into Punjab during the early years of militancy. A senior official noted that Chaura had crossed into Pakistan in 1984 and maintained contact with radical organizations in Punjab during his time there.
According to Amritsar Police, Chaura has multiple cases registered against him. “There are several cases registered against him; arms were recovered from him in the past, and we will have to check records,” stated Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar.
The assassination attempt on Badal has drawn condemnation from multiple political leaders. The Congress party criticized the Punjab government for negligence regarding security, while the Bharatiya Janata Party described the incident as indicative of a complete breakdown of law and order in the state.
