Chaura tough nut to crack: Police

Timely intervention by a police officer, who overpowered Khalistan sympathiser Narain Singh Chaura, saved former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal’s life as six more rounds were found in the magazine of the 9 mm pistol used in the assassination bid, cops have revealed.

On December 4, when Badal was undergoing ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) at the entrance to the Golden Temple complex, Chaura arrived at the scene and pulled out the pistol before being tackled by ASI Jasbir Singh. In the melee, the bullet hit the entrance pillar of the shrine.

The other cops guarding Sukhbir joined the ASI in overpowering Chaura and foiling the attempt. Chaura is currently under three-day extended remand.

Besides working out the backward linkages of the weapon, the police have zeroed in on a couple of suspects who had an old association with Chaura.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a top police official said the pistol was not very sophisticated, but efforts were being made to ascertain whether it was part of the weapons consignments that came in from across the border or procured locally.

“Six rounds were still there in the magazine when the pistol was seized from him. We are corroborating the origin of the weapon. We need to seek his remand as he is taking time to break. Due to his age, he is also suffering from a urological disorder,” said the officer.

The role of two individuals — Dharam Singh from Ekalgadda Khurd village and Jasbir Jassa from Mandiala village of Tarn Taran — was being investigated. Jassa was learnt to have been rounded up by the police, while Dharam was still on the run.

The police official said it was too early to say whether they were directly or indirectly involved in the case. The suspects would be questioned as they were old associates of Chaura and had a radical bent of mind.

“The investigation is being carried out in a transparent manner. Even central agencies have been contacted to ensure that the investigation is not limited to the Amritsar Commissionerate,” he said.

The police have registered an FIR under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and 25 and 27 of the Arms Act in this case.