A gunman who attempted to shoot Sikh political leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at India's Golden Temple in Amritsar was arrested on Wednesday after his attack was foiled, police said.
The assailant entered the Golden Temple, one of the holiest shrines in Sikhism, posing as a visitor.
He tried to shoot Badal, the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal party, but the gunman’s shot missed its target and hit a marble pillar instead.
Badal’s security team quickly tackled the assailant before he could fire another shot. The police have arrested the attacker and launched an investigation into the incident.
The assailant, identified as Narain Singh, approached Badal, who was sitting in a wheelchair at the entrance of the temple, and fired a shot.
The bullet missed its target and struck a wall. Singh was quickly overpowered by onlookers outside the temple, who then handed him over to police.
Badal, the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), was performing penance for alleged misdeeds during his party’s governance of Punjab before 2017. Visuals from the scene show Badal sitting in a blue 'sewadar' uniform, holding a spear as part of his penance.
The attacker was arrested, and police are now investigating the motive behind the attempted shooting.
Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring condemned the attack, blaming the state government for its "100% negligence" in ensuring Badal’s safety. "This shows the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab," Warring said, demanding strict punishment for the assailant and calling for the suspension of the Additional Commissioner of Police.
"The assailant is in police custody and investigation is underway," said Harpal Singh, a senior officer with Punjab Police.
"Security of Sukhbir Singh Badal has been increased."
He had been ordered to sit at the temple’s entrance holding a spear as part of the punishment imposed by the Sikh religious leaders.
The Golden Temple has been the site of violence in the past, notably during Operation Blue Star in 1984, when Indian special forces stormed the temple to remove Sikh militants.
The raid left hundreds dead and sparked violent reprisals across India, leading to the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards later that year.
Who is Narain Singh?
The attacker, identified as Narain Singh Chaura, was arrested after the shot missed its target and hit a wall.
Chaura, a former Khalistani militant, has a notorious past linked to the insurgency in Punjab during the 1980s. According to Punjab police, Chaura was involved in the smuggling of arms and explosives into the state and was an active participant in the movement that called for an independent Sikh state. In 1984, he crossed over to Pakistan, where he allegedly authored a book on guerrilla warfare and seditious literature.
Chaura's militant activities extended well into the 1990s. He was arrested in 2013 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and remained in prison for five years before being released in 2018. He is also said to have played a significant role in the 2003 Burail jailbreak, aiding the escape of Babbar Khalsa International terrorists involved in the assassination of Punjab's former Chief Minister Beant Singh.
The incident at the Golden Temple comes amid ongoing tensions in Punjab. Badal was serving a penance at the temple after being sentenced by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of Sikhs, for alleged failures during his party’s rule in Punjab.
Police are investigating Chaura's motive for the attack, though his links to radical elements in the region have raised concerns.
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