An individual attempted to shoot Sukhbir Singh Badal, the chief of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), while he was engaged in penance at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Wednesday morning, December 4.
The assailant was quickly subdued by those present at the scene, and no injuries were reported.
Sukhbir Badal, aged 62 and a former deputy chief minister of Punjab, has been performing ‘sewadar’ duties as part of a religious punishment known as ‘tankhah’.
This punishment was imposed by the Akal Takht for alleged mistakes made during his party’s governance in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
As part of his penance, he is required to wash dishes and clean shoes at various gurdwaras, including the Golden Temple.
Badal, who arrived in a wheelchair due to a leg fracture, was seen wearing a plaque around his neck and holding a spear during his service.
Over the past two days, Sukhbir Singh Badal has been stationed at the entrance of the Golden Temple, dressed in a blue ‘sewadar’ uniform and holding a spear, while sitting in a wheelchair due to a leg injury.
This morning, around 9 am, as he began his duties, a man identified as Narain Singh from Gurdaspur district approached the gate and attempted to shoot him.
Visuals from the scene show Singh drawing a gun but failing to hit Badal, as another individual nearby managed to grab his hand just in time.
The gunfire missed Badal and others present, striking the wall instead. The assailant has been arrested, and police are currently investigating the motives behind this alarming incident.
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