Tarn Taran blast accused wanted to kill Sukhbir Singh Badal, reveals probe

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Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was on the hit list of the terror module that carried out the September 4 blasts in Tarn Taran, a probe has revealed. Sukhbir Singh Badal is an MP from Punjab's Ferozpur and son of Parkash Singh Badal, several times Punjab Chief Minister.

The revelations come at a time when Punjab and Sikhs around the globe are preparing for Guru Nanak Jayanti on November 12. 

Sukhbir Badal was on the target as terrorists wanted to avenge the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari by killing then Punjab Deputy CM, police have found.  The terrorists had attempted to assassinate Sukhbhir Singh Badal multiple times. 

On September 5, two accused in the case were killed and one was seriously injured in a blast that took place in an agricultural field in Tarn Taran district. The two accused -- Vikram alias Vicky alias Bikkar Singh and Harpreet Singh alias Happy -- died on the spot in the blast while Gurjant Singh sustained injuries while they were trying to dig out the bomb planted by them in a vacant plot on the outskirts of Pandori Gola village.

During the police investigation, it was learnt that a person from Austria had hatched a conspiracy to kill Badal during his visit to Golden Temple in Amritsar. However, the plan failed after Badal arrived at the Golden Temple with tight security.

Earlier on October 4, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested "main accused and the conspirator" Gurjant Singh in connection with the Tarn Taran blast that claimed two lives on September 5.

The agency said that Gurjant Singh, a resident of Bachhre village in Tarn Taran, was arrested immediately after his release from a private hospital where he was admitted after receiving injuries in the explosion that took place at the outskirts of Pandori Gola village in Tarn Taran town on September 4.

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