Assassination bid on Sukhbir Singh Badal outside Golden Temple

Amritsar: A man opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal while he was performing the duty of 'sewadar' outside the Golden Temple here on Wednesday but missed the target as he was overpowered by some bystanders.

The audacious attack was captured on cameras of mediapersons who had gathered outside the Sikh shrine to cover the second day of Badal's penance for "mistakes" committed by the SAD government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

Television footage showed the shooter slowly walking towards Badal, who was sitting in a wheelchair due to a fractured leg, and pulling out a gun from his pocket. A man standing near Badal quickly intervened and grabbed the attacker's hands. In the melee, a bullet hit the wall behind Badal, who escaped unhurt.

Police identified the shooter as Narain Singh, a resident of Dera Baba Nanak. After the attack, he was whisked away by security officials.

Badal is undergoing religious punishment announced by the Akal Takht.

Holding a spear in one hand and dressed in blue 'sewadar' uniform, the SAD leader sat at the entrance of the Golden Temple. A small board hung around his neck, acknowledging his "misdeeds".

SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema strongly condemned the attack on Badal.

VIDEO | Punjab: "This is a big conspiracy to push Punjab back into the fire... A man, Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was serving as 'sewadar' at the entrance of the temple was shot at. I thank God for saving his life... I want to ask (CM) Bhagwant Mann what has he done to the state,"… pic.twitter.com/FU0HDtwBlm

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 4, 2024

Pronouncing the 'tankhah' (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 Monday directed the senior Akali leader to serve as a 'sewadar', and wash dishes and clean shoes at the Golden Temple.

Before the pronouncement of the edict, Sukhbir Badal admitted his mistakes, including pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case during the SAD's rule in Punjab.

The punishment came nearly three months after Sukhbir Badal was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht.