Sukhbir Badal Survives Assassination Attempt at Golden Temple

Former militant Narain Singh Chaura fired at the Shiromani Akali Dal leader during his religious penance, but was thwarted by alert police officers.

Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Punjab deputy chief minister, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on December 4, 2024.
The attacker, Narain Singh Chaura, a former Khalistani militant with a history of terror-related cases, fired a single shot that missed its target and struck a wall.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Jasbir Singh and other plainclothes police officers overpowered Chaura, preventing further harm and recovering the weapon used in the attack.
Preliminary investigations suggest Chaura acted alone, motivated by grievances over the Akal Takht's recent verdict on Badal in the Bargari sacrilege case, though broader conspiracies are being probed.
The incident has drawn widespread political condemnation, with opposition leaders questioning Punjab's law and order, while Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann praised police for averting a major tragedy.