Khalistani Connection: Who is Narain Singh Chaura, the Man Who Attempted to Kill Sukhbir Badal?

Amritsar(The Uttam Hindu): In a shocking incident, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal narrowly escaped an assassination attempt outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The attacker, Narain Singh Chaura, fired at Badal while he was in a wheelchair, serving his penance as a sevadar. The bullet missed, hitting a wall, and Badal remained unharmed. Chaura, aged 68, was quickly subdued by bystanders and arrested at the scene.

Narain Singh Chaura, a resident of the village of Chaura in Punjab's Gurdaspur district, has long been associated with the Khalistani movement. Born on April 4, 1956, to Chanam Singh and Gurnam Kaur, Chaura's name surfaced during the height of the Khalistani insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1984, he traveled to Pakistan for training as part of the movement that sought to establish an independent Sikh state.

Chaura's criminal history is notorious, with his involvement in several terrorist activities. He is infamous for his role in the 2004 Burail jailbreak, where four prisoners, including Babbar Khalsa leader Jagtar Singh Hawara and those responsible for the assassination of former Punjab CM Beant Singh, escaped from a high-security prison by digging a 104-foot tunnel.

In 2013, Chaura was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and spent five years in Amritsar Central Jail. He was granted bail by the Tarn Taran court but remains allegedly linked to the Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa. On the morning of the assassination attempt on Sukhbir Badal, Chaura was arrested again after his failed attack. Despite his violent past, Badal was fortunate to escape unharmed, thanks to the timely intervention of security and bystanders.