Khalistani leader Narain Singh Chaura allegedly fired at senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday morning inside the Golden Temple premises in Amritsar. The incident occurred while the former Punjab deputy chief minister was performing "punishment" guard duty.


Who is Narain Singh Chaura?


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Narain Singh Chaura, a former Khalistani militant and Panthic leader from the Dera Baba Nanak area, attempted to shoot Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Chaura, who has a history of criminal activities and was previously involved in multiple cases, stood directly in front of Badal and tried to fire at him.



However, a nearby sewadar acted quickly, pushing Chaura's hand upward, causing the shot to miss and hit a wall. This quick intervention helped Sukhbir Singh Badal narrowly escape the attack. Chaura, known for his role as the mastermind behind the infamous Burail jailbreak, had earlier helped Babbar Khalsa International terrorists escape from jail by cutting off the power supply for an extended period. On Tuesday, he was seen loitering near Badal in a white kurta and pyjamas, possibly observing him before the attack.


 


Several cases against Narain Singh


Narain Singh Chaura fled to Pakistan in 1984, where he played a key role in smuggling large quantities of weapons and explosives into Punjab during the early years of militancy. While in Pakistan, he reportedly authored a book on guerrilla warfare and other "seditious" material.


He returned to India in the mid-1990s and continued to engage in various terrorist activities. Chaura was later arrested for his involvement in the Burail jailbreak case, where he was accused of providing mobile phones and other banned items to the assassins of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, who were imprisoned in Chandigarh’s Burail Jail between 2003 and 2004.


Chaura was last granted bail in 2022 and continues to face several cases across multiple districts in Punjab, including Amritsar, Ropar, and Tarn Taran.