A shooting incident occurred at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, today. Narain Singh Chaura, a former Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist and Khalistani activist, opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at the temple entrance. Badal, who was serving as a guard at the entrance as part of a religious punishment, was unharmed.
Badal, wheelchair-bound and wearing a ‘sewadar’ uniform, was holding a spear when Chaura attacked. Temple officials and bystanders quickly overpowered Chaura and handed him over to the police. Chaura had crossed over to Pakistan in 1984 and was involved in smuggling weapons and explosives into Punjab. He is also accused in the 2004 Burail jailbreak case and has served a jail term in Punjab. He reportedly authored a book on guerrilla warfare and “seditious” literature while in Pakistan.
Chaura faces charges in approximately twelve cases across Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Ropar districts. While the attack appears to be a lone wolf incident, authorities have not ruled out a possible Pakistani connection, especially given Chaura’s possession of a sophisticated 9 mm pistol, often smuggled from across the border via drones. The incident raises concerns about security at the Golden Temple, a significant religious site for Sikhs.
Badal’s guard duty at the Golden Temple was ordered by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of Sikhs, as punishment for alleged “mistakes” committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. These mistakes reportedly included incidents of sacrilege and police firing at Kotkapura. Along with Badal, other Akali Dal leaders were also given various tasks at the Golden Temple, ranging from standing guard to cleaning toilets and serving in the community kitchen.
Former BKI Terrorist Opens Fire at Golden Temple
The shooting sparked political debate, with Congress and the SAD criticizing the ruling AAP government’s handling of law and order. The Akali Dal demanded a judicial inquiry, alleging a larger conspiracy to destabilize Punjab. Congress blamed the AAP government’s negligence and demanded the suspension of the Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann commended the Punjab Police’s swift response in preventing a potentially tragic event and stated that a conspiracy to tarnish Punjab’s image had been foiled. He condemned the attack on Badal and promised a thorough investigation.
