Badal's attacker "has criminal record", says Amritsar police

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], December 4 (ANI): Amritsar Police on Wednesday said that the man who fired bullets at Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Golden Temple in the city, has a criminal record and arms were recovered from him in the past.
The attacker identified as Narain Singh Chaura fired bullets at Badal this morning at the premises of the Golden Temple in Amritsar where the SAD leader was performing penance under the religious punishments pronounced by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
"There are several cases registered against him (Chaura), arms were recovered from him in the past, we will have to check records," Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said.
According to the Punjab Chief Minister's Office, the attacker was nabbed by the police and the attempt to life was foiled by the police. Badal was not hurt in the attempt.
Police Commissioner Bhullar hailed the alertness of the police to foil attempted assassination of former deputy Chief Minister of the State.
"Due to the alertness and deployment of our Police, this attack attempt was foiled. Our personnel Rishpal Singh, Jasbir and Parminder displayed alertness and foiled the attempts. Narayan Singh Chaura (attacker), who has a criminal record, has been arrested. Case has been registered. There were adequate arrangements for Sukhbir Singh Badal's security," he said.
Bhullar said that further investigation is underway.
During the attempted assassination, Badal was sitting at the entrance of the Golden Temple with a plaque card around his neck as part of the 'tankhah' religious punishment pronounced by the Akal Takht Board for religious misconduct during his tenure from 2007 to 2017. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Harjinder Singh Dhami assured that a thorough investigation of the incident will be carried out on the Gurudwara's behalf as well.
"We will investigate this through our sources well. I think he (the attacker) has been nabbed and taken away by the Police. Guru Ram Das saved Sukhbir Singh Badal...We are looking into the security arrangements," he said.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav, said, "It is extremely sad that an attempt has been made to kill him."
Badal was declared a 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) in August by Akal Takht, which announced religious punishment for him. Badal, who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab from 2007 to 2017, Badal is doing 'sewadar' work - washing utensils, cleaning shoes and bathrooms - at the Golden Temple. The Akal Takht issued the punishments for him citing the "mistakes" and "some decisions" taken by SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. (ANI)