Alarm after brazen bid on Badal's life

Badal's Z+ cover includes 10+ CRPF commandos. None of his central security detail was visibly present near him at the time of the attack

- Ravinder Vasudeva

A former militant's assassination attempt on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Golden Temple despite his Z-plus protection status and the sensitivity of the location exposed serious security lapses on Wednesday.

Narain Singh Chaura, 68, a known militant wanted in several terror-related cases, attempted to shoot Badal from point-blank range while the former deputy chief minister was performing sewa (service) at the shrine's entrance.

The bullet missed Badal after an alert police officer in plainclothes grabbed Chaura's hand, causing the shot to hit a wall about seven feet above Badal's head.

Badal, 62, was seated in a wheelchair due to a foot fracture, wearing the blue uniform of a sewadar and holding a ceremonial spear, when Chaura approached after washing his feet at the entrance. Standing barely eight feet away, Chaura pulled out a sophisticated 9mm revolver - a prohibited bore weapon meant only for security forces that police say was smuggled from Pakistan.

"The assassination bid was thwarted due to police alertness. We had deployed about 200 personnel under senior officers, apart from Badal's personal security," Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said. He added that officer Rashpal Singh first spotted Chaura and began tracking him, while officers Jasvir Singh and Parminder Singh physically intervened during the shooting attempt.

Badal has Z-plus cover that includes 36 personnel with 10+ CRPF commandos. At the time of the attack, none of his central security detail was visibly present near him.

A senior Akali leader, requesting anonymity, revealed that Z-plus personnel were asked to maintain distance after some devotees complained to the Akal Takht Jathedar about Badal undergoing religious punishment under heavy security cover.