How an alert Punjab Police ASI thwarted 'murder' bid on Sukhbir Badal

Chandigarh: Prompt action by an alert Punjab Police ASI on Wednesday helped thwart a 'murderous' bid on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Jasbir Singh, who was standing close to Sukhbir Badal at the entrance of the Golden Temple in plainclothes, swung into action the moment he sensed a threat to the senior Akali leader.

Television footage showed Narain Singh Chaura, a former terrorist, slowly moving towards Sukhbir Badal, who was sitting on a wheelchair due to a fractured leg, and suddenly pulling out a gun from his pocket.

As Chaura tried to pull the trigger, an alert Singh pounced on him, grabbed his hands, pushed them upwards and whisked him away. In the melee, the gun fired but fortunately the bullet hit the entrance wall of the shrine behind Sukhbir Badal, who escaped unhurt.

Other security personnel present on the spot along with members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) task force immediately intervened and snatched the weapon from Chaura.

Speaking to reporters in Amritsar, ASI Singh said he was just performing his duty.

"I was alert when he (Chaura) came. When he took out his pistol, we overpowered him and snatched his weapon," Singh said.

The audacious attack, which took place at around 9:30 am, was captured by mediapersons camping outside the Golden Temple to cover Day 2 of Sukhbir Badal's penance for the "mistakes" committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, meanwhile, lauded the policemen for their role in foiling the murder bid on Sukhbir Badal.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also hailed the promptness of Punjab Police in nabbing the attacker.

Special Director General of Police, Arpit Shukla, said one assistant inspector general of police, two superintendents of police, two deputy superintendents of police and 175 police personnel were deployed at the Golden Temple.