On 4th November, Khalistani terrorist Narain Singh Chaura attempted to assassinate the former Chief Minister of Punjab and Shiromani Akali Dal chief, Sukhbir Singh Badal, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Videos of the attempted assassination went viral on social media. Chaura was overpowered by the security personnel present at the scene. He was detained by the Punjab Police, and further investigation into the matter is underway. Chaura is currently associated with Dal Khalsa and has links to Khalistani terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International.
#WATCH | Punjab: Bullets fired at Golden Temple premises in Amritsar where SAD leaders, including party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, are offering 'seva' under the religious punishments pronounced for them by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, on 2nd December.
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
Details awaited. pic.twitter.com/CFQaoiqLkx
In the visuals, the assailant was seen walking towards the guarded entrance of the Golden Temple, where Badal was sitting in a wheelchair. He took out a gun from his pocket and fired a shot towards Badal as the security personnel standing around him rushed to stop him.
#WATCH | Punjab: Bullets fired at Golden Temple in Amritsar where SAD leaders, including party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, were offering 'seva'. The attacker, identified as Narayan Singh Chaura by the Police has been overpowered by the people and caught.
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
(Video Source: PTC) pic.twitter.com/330QxqxhV8
Chaura was immediately taken into custody by the Amritsar Police. As he was being taken away, media personnel questioned him about his name and the motive behind shooting at Badal, but Chaura kept smiling and did not say anything.
VIDEO | Punjab: A man opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at the entrance of Golden Temple, Amritsar. The person was overpowered by people present on the spot. More details are awaited.#PunjabNews #SukhbirSinghBadal
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 4, 2024
(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/LC55kCV864
When the shot was fired, Bikram Singh Majithia was also present at the scene. Notably, Badal was at the Golden Temple to offer “seva” as a “religious punishment” pronounced by Sri Akal Takht Sahib two days earlier, on 2nd December. Badal was sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a blue “sevadar” uniform, with a spear in his hand, serving his punishment. He is currently suffering from a fractured leg that has rendered him wheelchair-bound.
#WATCH | Punjab: Bullets fired at Golden Temple in Amritsar where SAD leaders, including party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, were offering 'seva'. The attacker, identified as Narayan Singh Chaura by the Police has been overpowered by the people and caught.
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
(Second camera angle) pic.twitter.com/c7NslbU3n3
Speaking to the media, ADCP Harpal Singh assured that there were proper security arrangements at the Golden Temple. He further added that Chaura had been at the Golden Temple the day before as well. Before opening fire at Badal, he paid obeisance to the Guru, said ADCP Singh. Furthermore, he stated that no one was hurt in the shooting.
#WATCH | ADCP Harpal Singh says, "There were proper security arrangements here…Sukhbir ji was properly covered (given cover)…Narayan Singh Chaura (assailant) was here yesterday as well…Today too, he first paid obeisance to the Guru…"
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
"No," he says when asked if anyone… https://t.co/aqs7cbNMuC pic.twitter.com/bIoOsvrct8
Speaking on the matter, SAD leader Daljir Singh Cheema said, “First of all, I would like to thank Guru Nanak. Jako Rakhe Saaiyan, Maar Sake Na Koy. ‘Sevaks’ were offering ‘seva’ here. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was sitting by the Guru Ram Das Dwar as ‘Chowkidar’. Bullet was fired in his direction…I thank Guru Nanak that he saved his ‘sevak’…This is a huge incident, what era is Punjab being pushed into?…I would like to ask the CM of Punjab, where do you want to take Punjab?…The attacker was caught on the spot. I also thank the security personnel here. Had they not acted promptly…There should be a high-level judicial enquiry into the incident…We will continue with our ‘seva’…”
#WATCH | Shots fired at Golden Temple | SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema says, "…First of all, I would like to thank Guru Nanak. Jako Rakhe Saaiyan, Maar Sake Na Koy. 'Sevaks' were offering 'seva' here. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was sitting by the Guru Ram Das Dwar as… pic.twitter.com/r7ntTcCA01
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said, “Due to the alertness and deployment of our Police, this attack attempt was foiled. Our personnel Rishpal Singh, Jasbir and Parminder displayed alertness and foiled the attempts. Narayan Singh Chaura (attacker), who has a criminal record, has been arrested. Case has been registered. There were adequate arrangements for Sukhbir Singh Badal’s security…There were foolproof security arrangements…Deployment for a protectee is made as per threat perception…So, there was heavy deployment…There are several cases registered against him (Chaura), arms were recovered from him in the past, we will have to check records…”
#WATCH | Bullet fired at Golden Temple | Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar says, "Due to the alertness and deployment of our Police, this attack attempt was foiled. Our personnel Rishpal Singh, Jasbir and Parminder displayed alertness and foiled the attempts.… pic.twitter.com/gKM4nSqYS5
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann appreciated promptness of Punjab Police at the scene and condemned the attack on Badal. In a post on X in Punjabi, he said, “Punjab Police prevented a major incident from happening today. It is the result of the promptness of the Punjab Police that the conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis has failed. The police achieved great success by arresting the assailant on the spot with their promptness. I appreciate the promptness of the police, I strongly condemn the attack on Sukhbir Badal ji. I have issued strict instructions to the police to immediately investigate the incident and submit a report.”
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਨੇ ਅੱਜ ਇੱਕ ਵੱਡੀ ਵਾਰਦਾਤ ਹੋਣ ਤੋਂ ਰੋਕਿਆ। ਪੰਜਾਬ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਦੀ ਮੁਸਤੈਦੀ ਦਾ ਨਤੀਜਾ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਅਤੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਬਦਨਾਮ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਨਾਕਾਮ ਹੋਈ ਹੈ। ਪੁਲਿਸ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਮੁਸਤੈਦੀ ਨਾਲ ਮੌਕੇ 'ਤੇ ਹੀ ਹਮਲਾਵਰ ਨੂੰ ਗ੍ਰਿਫ਼ਤਾਰ ਕਰਕੇ ਵੱਡੀ ਕਾਮਯਾਬੀ ਹਾਸਲ ਕੀਤੀ। ਮੈਂ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਦੀ ਮੁਸਤੈਦੀ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਲਾਘਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ,…
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) December 4, 2024
Congress MP from Amritsar, Gurjeet Singh Aujla said, “This is highly condemnable and wrong. This should not have happened because that is the premises of Darbar Sahib. Nobody has the right to take law into their hand. The incident happening there is absolutely wrong…”
#WATCH | Delhi: On bullet fired at Sukhbir Singh Badal at Golden Temple, Congress MP from Amritsar, Gurjeet Singh Aujla says, "This is highly condemnable and wrong. This should not have happened because that is the premises of Darbar Sahib. Nobody has the right to take law into… pic.twitter.com/08g7hTHLJI
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
BJP national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill also condemned the incident and called it worrying and disturbing. He said, “The assassination attempt on Sukhbir Singh Badal is worrying, disturbing and indeed shocking. The question is that when will Aam Aadmi Party wake up to the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab? How many more people have to put their life at risk for Kejriwal-Bhagwant Mann ‘jodi’ to wake up to the slipping law & order situation of Punjab? Aam Aadmi Party promised Punjab to be turned into a hub of development. Instead, under AAP’s watch, Punjab has turned into a playground for extremists, criminals, and extortionists. Today, attempt on Sukhbir Singh Badal, earlier – the killing of Sidhu Moosewala and before that killing of businessmen in Jalandhar and Ludhiana, killing of a Policeman, RPG attack on a Mohali Police Station. Have people forgotten the killing of two Kabaddi players? The point is, the AAP has completely surrendered to criminals. The question is, what is the nexus between AAP’s Kejriwal-Bhagwant Mann Govt and with these extremists and criminals? Why has crime increased in Punjab since AAP has taken over? I think Bhagwant Mann should immediately resign from the post of CM because every Punjabi today is asking if Punjab is slipping into the dark times under Kejriwal-Bhagwant Mann Govt.”
#WATCH | Delhi: On bullet fired at Sukhbir Singh Badal at Golden Temple, BJP national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill says, "The assassination attempt on Sukhbir Singh Badal is worrying, disturbing and indeed shocking. The question is that when will Aam Aadmi Party wake up to the… pic.twitter.com/nrP9pIxKMf
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
SAD leader Naresh Gujral said, “Today’s attack is an attack by extremists on the moderate forces of Punjab. Sukhbir Badal and Shiromani Akali Dal are moderate forces in Punjab – among both Sikhs and Punjabis. As per preliminary reports, the attacker has Khalistani connections. The so-called Khalistanis want to destabilise Punjab somehow. There can be a conspiracy by Pakistan as well. It is clear that foreign forces – sitting in Canada, America have a hand in this. We would want an inquiry by NIA and the people and forces involved in this should be revealed and they be interrogated. Only then will there be peace in Punjab…”
#WATCH | Bullet fired at Golden Temple | Shiromani Akali Dal leader Naresh Gujral says, "Today's attack is an attack by extremists on the moderate forces of Punjab. Sukhbir Badal and Shiromani Akali Dal are moderate forces in Punjab – among both Sikhs and Punjabis. As per… pic.twitter.com/7oZTdpcVds
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
Who is Narain Singh Chaura?
Narain Singh Chaura is a Khalistani terrorist with a history of underground activities and criminal cases. He is known for his role in extremist circles and hails from the Dera Baba Nanak area in Punjab. Chaura gained popularity as the mastermind behind the Burail jailbreak, where he helped Babbar Khalsa International terrorists Jagtar Singh Hawara, Paramjit Singh Bheora, Jagtar Singh Tara, and Devi Singh escape by cutting off the prison’s electricity. Despite his past full of terrorist activities, he reappeared recently positioning himself as a Panthic leader.
According to the police, in 1984, Narain Singh Chaura crossed over to Pakistan, where he played a key role in smuggling large quantities of weapons and explosives into Punjab during the early days of militancy. During his time in Pakistan, he also wrote a book on guerrilla warfare and “seditious” literature. Chaura reportedly returned to India in the mid-1990s and continued his involvement in terrorist activities. He is facing multiple cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and has been jailed several times. Most recently, he was released on bail in 2022 and is currently facing multiple cases in Amritsar, Ropar, and Tarn Taran.
