News Brief
Punjab: Gunshots Fired At Sukhbir Singh Badal During His Penance At Golden Temple
Sukhbir Singh Badal
A man opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal this morning while he was serving his penance at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
The shooter was overpowered by people present on the spot, and was later arrested.
The shooter has reportedly been identified as Narain Singh Chaura.
SAD leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa was also performing 'tankha' with Sukhbir Badal when the incident occurred.
Sukhbir Singh Badal, 62, who had served as Punjab deputy chief minister, has been performing 'sewadar' duties after the Akal Takht pronounced a 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for him and other Akali Dal leaders for "mistakes" made during the party’s rule from 2007 to 2017.
As part of the punishment, Badal has been instructed to perform duties as a 'sewadar,' which include washing dishes and cleaning shoes at the Golden Temple.
Badal along with leaders and core committee members of Akali Dal, who were cabinet members in 2015, have been directed to clean the bathrooms at the Golden Temple for an hour from noon.
They will take a bath after the cleaning duty and serve langar.
Badal's father and former chief minister of Punjab, late Parkash Singh Badal, has also been stripped of the Fakhr-e-Qaum (pride of the Sikh community) honour that was bestowed on him in 2011 for services to the community.
