Who is Narayan Singh Chaura, the ex-militant who shot at SAD chief Sukhbir Badal in Amritsar

The man, who opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal while he was performing the duty of ‘sewadar’ outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Wednesday morning, has been identified as Narayan Singh Chaura, a former Khalistani militant.

According to police sources, Chaura, a former chief of Akal Federation trained in Pakistan, has written books on Sikh militancy. Chaura had been to Pakistan thrice before he returned to India in 1995.

Chaura was a suspect in the former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh assassination case. He was also allegedly involved in the 2004 Burail Jail escape case where Beant Singh assassin and Babbar Khalsa International chief Jagtar Singh Hawara, along with four undertrials, escaped from barrack number 7 of the jail by digging a tunnel.

Assassination bid on Sukhbir Badal during sewa at Golden Temple in Amritsar

In photos, how Sukhbir Badal escaped assassination bid at Golden Temple by Khalistani leader Chaura

The sensational escape occurred on the night of January 21 in 2004.

Chaura was booked in around 30 cases, including one under the Explosives Act on May 8, 2010, at the civil lines police station in Amritsar. He was also wanted in cases registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ropar.

He was arrested on February 28, 2013, from Jalalabad village in Tarn Taran and was out on bail.

According to police, Chaura had crossed over to Pakistan in 1984 and was instrumental in smuggling large consignments of weapons and explosives into Punjab during the initial phase of militancy. While in Pakistan, he allegedly authored books on guerrilla warfare.