• Source:JND
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Sukhbir Singh Badal, a leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt outside Amritsar’s Golden Temple. He was carrying out religious duties as part of his punishment when the attack took place. However, a vigilant Punjab police officer swiftly intervened and pushed the assailant away, preventing any harm to Badal.

The police officer identified as Jasbir Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Punjab Police, overpowered the attacker and thwarted the attempt to assassinate Badal. At the time of the attack, Badal, wearing a blue 'sewadar' uniform, was at the entrance of the Golden Temple in a wheelchair, serving his punishment.

Sukhbir Singh Badal was present at the Golden Temple to perform the role of a 'sewadar' (volunteer) after the Sikh clergy imposed a 'tankhah' (religious punishment) on him. This punishment was given by Sikh high priests due to the alleged "mistakes" committed by the SAD government in Punjab between 2007 and 2017.

Jasbir Singh, standing near Badal in plain clothes, was the first to notice Chaura as he approached, turning to assess the situation. Seeing the danger to the senior Akali leader, Singh quickly reacted and overpowered the shooter identified as Narain Singh Chaura.

He grabbed the attacker's hands and pushed them upwards, allowing other security personnel and members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) task force to overpower the shooter. 

In a self-released video, Singh recalled the incident and said, "When he (Narain Singh Chaura) came there, I was standing alert. Looking at him, everything became clear... He was rounded up, his pistol taken away, and he was arrested.”

"Officers had already briefed us that nothing untoward should happen here. So, we were on full alert, upholding the decorum of Darbar Sahib," ASI Singh added.

The Punjab Police said that the attacker has a criminal history, with over 21 cases registered against him. Punjab Special DGP (Law & Order) Arpit Shukla confirmed the arrest and stated, "This individual has been apprehended, and there are more than 21 cases registered in his name. The police are currently questioning him, and we will provide more details as the investigation progresses." 

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the attack and called for a comprehensive investigation into the matter. "It is an unfortunate incident. Due to the alertness of Punjab Police personnel, a major tragedy was averted. The accused was arrested on the spot. I am in touch with senior police officials and the DGP. I have instructed them to conduct a thorough investigation," Mann said.