A shocking incident took place near the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Wednesday, as Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. The attack took place when Badal was on his duties as a sewadar. Badal was sitting in a wheelchair, but he was safe as the bullet fired at him hit a wall.
Immediately, individuals present at the scene subdued the assailant as identified to be Narain Singh Chaura. He happens to be a former Khalistani militant with a rather checkered past involved in such high-profile and contentious criminal activities.
Narain Singh Chaura belongs to the Dera Baba Nanak area and has been a militant and an active Panthic leader. He was also the mastermind behind the notorious Burail jailbreak, helping Babbar Khalsa International terrorists, Jagtar Singh Hawara, and Paramjit Singh Bheora, escape custody by cutting off the jail’s electricity supply.
The event occurred when Chaura was facing Sukhbir Singh Badal and tried to fire at him. Just before that, a sewadar from the nearby vicinity tried to push Chaura’s hand upwards, resulting in the shot missing its mark. The eyewitnesses even sighted Chaura dressed in a white kurta-pajama loitering around Badal a day prior to the attack, which indicates some forethought.
This brazen attack heightened security concerns in the area, especially around high-profile leaders. Authorities are examining Chaura’s motive and how he was able to execute this attempted attack close to one of Punjab’s holiest places.
The escape of Sukhbir Singh Badal has relieved his supporters; however, the incident represents a reminder that the issue with keeping the area secure has still not been fully solved.
