Sukhbir Badal Resumes 'Penance' At Takht Kesgarh Sahib In Rupnagar After Attempt On His Life; Security Heightened

Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal resumed his 'punishment' on Thursday, a day after an assassination attempt on his life at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Badal, accompanied by tight security, performed 'sewadar' duties outside Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Punjab's Rupnagar district.

The former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, who is a Z-category security protectee, was seen seated at the entrance of the Anandpur Sahib shrine, dressed in the attire of a 'sewadar'.    

ALSO READ: Couple’s ‘Romantic’ Instagram Reel On Delhi Metro Cringes Out Netizens | Viral Video   

Sukhbir Badal is performing religious penance after Akal Takht, the supreme religious body of Sikhs, declared him a ‘tankhaiya’ for his mistakes committed from 2007 and 2017. This was the duration when SAD was in power for two five-year terms in coalition with BJP under the chief ministership of Parkash Singh Badal. 

Anandpur Sahib, Punjab: Sukhbir Singh Badal President of Shiromani Akali Dal arrived at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib for his third day of prayers. Security at the Gurudwara has been increased after an attacker, Narayan Singh Chaura, attempted to shoot him at the Golden Temple, but the… pic.twitter.com/ayfFvRkuV5

— IANS (@ians_india) December 5, 2024

Ahead of Badal's visit to Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Rupnagar Senior Superintendent of Police, Gulneet Singh Khurana, stated that foolproof security arrangements were in place. Plainclothes police officers had been deployed and authorities were closely monitoring the situation, officials told PTI.

A man, identified as Narain Chaura, on Wednesday, opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal near the entrance of the Golden Temple. The attacker was quickly overpowered by those on the spot and taken into custody by the police. Badal, who was sitting in a wheelchair, escaped unhurt as the bullet hit a wall. 

The Punjab Police conducted raids at the house of Narayan Singh Chaura shortly after the incident. The raid took place in the Sahib Nagar locality, near Gurudwara Sri Chola Sahib in Dera Baba Nanak. 

ALSO READ: Delhi HC's Longest-Serving Judge Justice Manmohan Sworn In As Supreme Court Judge 

Narayan Singh Chaura is the head of the Akal Federation and a member of the Havara 21-member committee. He is also the mastermind behind the 2004 Burail jailbreak in Chandigarh and is wanted in nearly a dozen terror-related cases.