Amritsar: A dramatic incident unfolded on Wednesday outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, when a gunman fired at prominent Sikh leader Sukhbir Singh Badal. Fortunately, no injuries occurred during the event, and the assailant was swiftly apprehended by law enforcement.
The shooter, identified as Narain Singh, 68, approached the revered site—considered the holiest shrine in Sikhism—and, in a shocking act captured by news agency ANI, discreetly drew a firearm from his pocket and aimed it at Badal. Quick-thinking security personnel, including a policeman in plainclothes, intervened before Singh could inflict harm, pushing him away just as a stray bullet was discharged.
Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar addressed the media, emphasizing the rapid response of law enforcement that prevented the situation from escalating further. He verified the arrest of the gunman and remarked, “This attack was prevented due to the vigilance and presence of our police.”
The reason for the attack is currently unknown. Badal, a former deputy chief minister of Punjab and previously allied with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, was at the temple performing a penance ritual mandated by the Akal Takht, the Top authority in Sikhism.
Sikhism is one of India’s major religions, with adherents making up nearly 2% of the country’s population of approximately 1.4 billion. The Golden Temple holds significant historical and cultural importance for Sikhs worldwide.
This incident draws attention to the historical context of the Golden Temple, which was the site of a violent clash between Sikh militants and Indian troops in 1984. The then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered military action to remove armed separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers from the temple, a decision that angered the Sikh community globally.Later that year, her Sikh bodyguards assassinated Gandhi, intensifying the already heightened tensions.
As the investigation into Wednesday’s shooting continues, the incident underscores ongoing security concerns surrounding high-profile figures in sensitive locations.