The quick and intelligent action of Jasbir Singh, an assistant sub inspector of Punjab Police, averted a deadly attack on Akali Dal president and former deputy chief minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal. Jasbir Singh is being praised a lot for this act.
A pro-Khalistan activist , Narain Singh Chaura, shot Sukhbir when he went to perform SEWA (service) at the Golden Temple in Amritsar as part of his religious punishment. Narain Singh Chaura walked leisurely and reached close to Sukhbir Singh Badal who was sitting on the Wheel chair. Chaura took out a pistol , hidden in his clothes, and pointed it at Sukhbir. As soon as he tried to pull the trigger, ASI Jasbir Singh and two other policemen, Rashpal Singh and Parminder Singh, overpowered him. ASI Jasbir held him and the bullet missed the target.
ASI Jasbir Singh of Punjab Police said that senior police officers had already informed him about any possible untoward incident. He said, “As per the alert, I immediately sensed trouble as the suspect pulled out a pistol from his clothes. Before he could pull the trigger, I caught his hand.”
Jasbir Singh said that the police cannot search anyone in the Golden Temple and neither can we stop anyone. So, when he (Narain Singh) came there, I was standing alert. Everything became clear as soon as I saw him and I left no stone unturned to overpower him.”
Expressing gratitude towards ASI Jasbir Singh, Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia said that Punjab Police should avoid taking credit for the “vigilance of the police”. He said, “ASI Jasbir has been in the security of the Badal family since 2002. He was also in the security of Prakash Singh Badal. He is like a family member and was on duty to protect Sukhbir.”
Sukhbir Singh Badal, son of Late Chief Minister Praksh Singh Badal , was declared a ‘Tankhaiya’ and was given religious punishment under which he had to serve in the Gurughar . However, the police says that 175 policemen were deployed under three-tier security arrangements. Many of them were in plain clothes. Senior police officers were overseeing the security arrangements here.
