In a shocking incident on the morning of 4th December, the former Deputy Chief Minister and the president of of Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Singh Badal narrowly escaped his assassination attempt after shots were fired at him at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar while he was performing the religious punishment (‘tankhah’) pronounced to him by the Akal Takht.
While Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal was fulfilling the Akal Takht’s directive to serve as a ‘sewadar’ for one hour daily, a man identified as Narayan Singh Chuara who is said to be having connections with Khalistani Terrorist group Babbar Khalsa and is said to be a member of Dal Khalsa, opened fire with his pistol at Sukhbir Badal. The attacker was quickly overpowered by people present at the site and was handed over to the authorities.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Harpal Singh stated that proper security arrangements were in place and that he was on-site since early morning. He revealed that Narayan Singh Chuara, a resident of Derababa and a known Dal Khalsa member, had been arrested under the UAPA in 2013.
Reacting to the attack, SAD accused the Punjab government of failing to provide adequate security. The party expressed its lack of faith in the state government, asking, “Who will take responsibility for this attack?”
Who is Narayan Singh Chaura?
Some News channels have reported Narayan Singh Chaura of being closely linked with Khalistani Terrorist group Babbar Khalsa while some associated him being a member of Dal Khalsa. Narayan Singh Chaura is reportedly linked to the infamous 2004 Burail Jailbreak case in Chandigarh, where four Khalistani terrorists escaped through a 94-foot tunnel, allegedly with Chaura’s assistance. While acquitted in that case, Chaura faced multiple charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Arrested in 2013 in Tarn Taran, Chaura and his associates were implicated in several cases, including those involving weapons and explosives smuggling. Police recovered arms from a hideout in Mohali based on his interrogation. He has also been tied to terrorist groups like the Khalistan Liberation Force and Akal Federation.Chaura reportedly travelled to Pakistan in 1984, where he facilitated the smuggling of arms into Punjab and authored guerrilla warfare literature.
Tankhah to Sukhbir Singh Badal
On 2nd of December, the president of Shiromani Akali Dal and the former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal has been awarded with ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) by the Five High Priests headed by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh after he and his party were held accountable for their actions during the Akali Dal’s tenure in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. These included granting a controversial pardon to Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who in 2007 had mimicked Sikh Gurus that offended the religious sentiments of the Sikh community.
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