Who is Narain Chaura, the Former Militant Who Attacked Sukhbir Singh Badal?

Narain Singh Chaura, a former Khalistani militant, attempted to shoot Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Badal escaped unhurt as a sewadar intervened. Chaura, known for his role in the 2004 Burail jailbreak, was overpowered and detained on the spot.

Narain Singh Chaura, a former Khalistani militant, made headlines on Wednesday after he attempted to shoot Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The incident occurred while Badal was performing religious service as part of the ‘tankhah’ punishment assigned by the Akal Takht.

Chaura stood directly in front of Badal and fired a shot, but the bullet struck a wall as a nearby sewadar intervened, pushing Chaura’s hand upward. Badal, who was seated in a wheelchair at the time, escaped unhurt. Chaura was quickly overpowered by people present at the scene and handed over to the authorities.

A well-known figure in militant circles, Chaura hails from the Dera Baba Nanak area and was once associated with the Khalistani movement. He has been implicated in several criminal cases and was previously involved in orchestrating the 2004 Burail jailbreak, aiding Babbar Khalsa International operatives Jagtar Singh Hawara and others in escaping custody. The jailbreak plan included disabling the jail’s electricity supply, allowing the escapees to flee undetected.

On Tuesday, Chaura was reportedly seen loitering near Badal, dressed in a white kurta-pajama. Authorities are now investigating how Chaura managed to come so close to the SAD leader despite his history.

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The attack has raised serious concerns about security lapses around political leaders, particularly in sensitive locations like the Golden Temple.