NEW DELHI: A day after surviving an assassination attempt, fomer Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief, Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday undertook the duty of a ‘sewadar’ outside Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Punjab’s Rupnagar district under heavy security.
The former deputy chief minister, who is a Z+ category protectee, arrived at the Anandpur Sahib shrine escorted by a team of security personnel.
Clad in the traditional blue ‘sewadar’ uniform, Badal was seen seated at the entrance of the gurdwara holding a spear in one hand. He is currently undergoing religious penance as directed by the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal authority of Sikhs, for “mistakes” committed by the SAD government and the party during its tenure in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
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In addition to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Akal Takht has instructed Badal to perform ‘sewadar’ duties at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, and Darbar Sahib in Muktsar and Fatehgarh Sahib for two days each.
This service follows a dramatic incident on Wednesday during Badal’s second day of penance at the Golden Temple.
A former Khalistani terrorist attempted to shoot him at close range but missed, as the attacker was swiftly subdued by plainclothes police officers.
Ahead of Badal’s visit to Takht Kesgarh Sahib, police ensured stringent security measures.
Rupnagar senior superintendent of police Gulneet Singh Khurana stated that foolproof security arrangements were in place. Plainclothes officers were deployed, and surveillance was heightened to ensure safety.
Several SAD leaders and party workers accompanied Badal at the gurdwara.
