Sukhbir performs ‘sewa’ at Takht Kesgarh Sahib a day after attack

A day after he survived a bid on his life, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday performed the duty of ‘sewadar’ at Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Rupnagar district amid tight security

Rupnagar : A day after he survived a bid on his life, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday performed the duty of ‘sewadar’ at Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Rupnagar district amid tight security.

A day after he survived a bid on his life, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday performed the duty of ‘sewadar’ at Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Rupnagar district amid tight security.

The former deputy chief minister, a Z+ protectee, arrived at the Anandpur Sahib shrine surrounded by security personnel. Dressed in blue ‘sewadar’ uniform, Sukhbir sat at the entrance of the gurdwara with a spear in one hand.

He is undergoing religious punishment pronounced by the Akal Takht, the temporal body of Sikhs, for “mistakes” committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government and his party in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

Besides the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Akal Takht has asked Sukhbir to perform the service of ‘sewadar’ at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib and Darbar Sahib in Muktsar and Fatehgarh Sahib for two days each.

On the second day of his penance at the Golden Temple on Wednesday, Sukhbir had a narrow escape as a former terrorist fired at him from a close range but missed as he was overpowered by policemen in civvies.

Police made elaborate security arrangements ahead of Sukhbir’s visit to Takht Kesgarh Sahib.

Following Wednesday’s attack, the Punjab Police had to implement strict security measures, including installation of metal detectors, frisking of devotees and a multi-layered security.

Rupnagar senior superintendent of police Gulneet Singh Khurana said foolproof security arrangements have been made.

Policemen in civvies also been deployed and police are keeping an eye on things, officials said.

After performing the duty of a ‘sewadar’ at the entrance of the shrine, Sukhbir proceeded to listen the ‘kirtan’ at the gurdwara under tight security ring. Sukhbir also washed utensils at the shrine’s community kitchen. Later, his wife and the SAD’s Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal along with her two daughters and son joined him and performed ‘sewa’ there.