A man opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal at the entrance of Golden Temple, Amritsar on Wednesday. Badal, who was sitting in a wheelchair,, was performing the duty of 'sewadar' when he was attacked. He escaped unhurt as the bullet hit a wall.
The attack was captured on cameras of media persons who had gathered outside the Sikh shrine to cover the second day of Badal's penance. In the video footage, the shooter is seen slowly walking towards Badal, who was sitting in a wheelchair due to a fractured leg, and pulling out a gun from his pocket when another man standing near Badal quickly intervenes and grabs the attacker's hands.
In the melee, a bullet hit the wall behind Badal.
Police identified the shooter as Narain Singh, a resident of Dera Baba Nanak, PTI reported.
The Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of Sikhs, had issued religious punishment for him and other leaders on Monday for “mistakes” made by SAD government during its 2007–2017 tenure.
Holding a spear in one hand and dressed in blue 'sewadar' uniform, the SAD leader sat at the entrance of the Golden Temple. A small board hung around his neck, acknowledging his "misdeeds", PTI reported.
Pronouncing the order from the 'faseel' (podium) of the Akal Takht in Amritsar, Jathedar of the highest temporal seat for Sikhs, Giani Raghbir Singh, also announced to withdraw the title of 'Fakhre-e-Qaum' bestowed upon former chief minister late Parkash Singh Badal, father of Sukhbir Badal.
The Jathedar also directed the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to accept the resignation of Sukhbir Badal as party chief, besides forming a committee to hold elections for the post of SAD president and other office-bearers within six months.
