What Happened To Sukhbir Singh Badal? (image-twitter/ravindery180)

Shiromani Akali Das (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal met with an assassination attempt today morning while he was serving his penance at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The shooter who was identified as Narain Singh Chaura, a Khalistani activist was immediately overpowered by people present on the spot and handed over to the police.

Meanwhile, as per the media report, Sukhbir Badal, who had served as the guard at the temple entrance as part of a religious punishment, is safe.

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In the video of the incident, Badal is seen in his wheel-chair wearing a blue ‘sewadar’ uniform and holding a spear, ducking for cover as the shooter whipped out the gun. However, temple officials near the Akali Das leader were shifted to react and overpowered the shooter.

The sixty-two-year-old Badal, a former deputy chief minister of Punjab was performing ‘sewadar’ duties after the Akal Takht pronounced the ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) for him and several other Akali Dal leaders for mistakes committed during the party’s rule in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

As part of the punishment, he was asked to wash dishes and clean shoes at Golden Temple and several other gurdwaras.

For the past two days, Badal has been serving at the gate of the Golden Temple with a spear in one hand. The assassination attempt took place around 9 am today. The shooter who was identified as Narain Singh hails from Gurdaspur district, about 75 km from Amritsar.

The police are investigating the motive behind the shocking attack.

Reacting to the attack, Punjab chief minister Bhagwat Mann has said the promptness of the state foiled a “conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis”.  “The police achieved great success by arresting the assailant on the spot with their promptness. I appreciate the promptness of the police, I strongly condemn the attack on Sukhbir Badal ji. I have issued strict instructions to the police to immediately investigate the incident and submit a report,” he said in a post on X.

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According to NDTV report, Narain Singh is said to have links with Khalistani group Babbar Khalsa. Earlier, Sukhbir Badal had admitted his mistakes before the Akal Takth. These mistakes included pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case during the SAD rule.