AMRITSAR — Narain Singh Chaura, an alleged associate of the banned pro-Khalistan group Babbar Khalsa, was arrested on Wednesday morning for attempting to fire on former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, at the Golden Temple’s gate in Amritsar.
The assailant was overpowered by bystanders and subsequently arrested.
The incident occurred around 9 A.M. while Sukhbir Singh Badal, confined to a wheelchair, was fulfilling a religious penance assigned by the Akal Takht in connection with a sacrilege case.
Sixty-two-year-old Badal 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, Sukhbir Badal and his former colleagues in the then cabinet were ordered to clean toilets, serve ‘langar’ (community kitchen), perform daily prayers and recite Sukhmani Sahib. Placards were also placed around their necks as part of the sentence.
Earlier, Sukhbir Badal 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. The Akal Takht pronounced the punishment nearly three months after he was declared ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct).
A video of the incident appeared, showing Chaura slowly approaching the gate and then taking a gun out of his pocket with a shaky hand. A man near Sukhbir Singh Badal quickly noticed him and approached Chaura and held his hand to stop him from firing at the leader.
Narain Singh Chaura, 68, hails from Chaura village in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district and was born on April 4, 1956, to Chanam Singh and Gurnam Kaur.
He is believed to be the mastermind behind the 2004 Burail jailbreak. The daring escape involved digging a 104-foot tunnel that allowed four inmates to flee, including Babbar Khalsa leader Jagtar Singh Hawara and two of the assassins of late Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
According to police, Chaura had crossed over to Pakistan in 1984 and was instrumental in smuggling weapons and explosives into Punjab during the initial phase of militancy. He was allegedly associated with the Khalistan Liberation Force and the Akal Federation.
While in Pakistan, he allegedly authored a book on guerrilla warfare and other “seditious” literature.
Previously arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ropar districts in 2013, Chaura was granted bail in 2018. — IANS
