Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and current chief of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), was injured in a knife attack inside a gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra, on Thursday. The incident occurred around 1:45 PM at Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat as Badal was descending steps.
Details of the Attack and Injuries
The attacker, identified as a Nihang and dressed in traditional attire, used a kirpan, a ceremonial dagger, during the assault. Security personnel accompanying Badal, who is a Z+ protectee, intervened. Police officer Santosh Kendre, part of Badal's special protection unit, was also injured while shielding him.
Badal was immediately taken to a private hospital where he received two to three stitches on his right hand. SAD spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler confirmed that Badal suffered a minor arm injury but was in "high spirits" and out of danger. His wife, Lok Sabha MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, was present with him at the time of the attack, having visited Takht Sri Hazur Sahib earlier in the day.
Investigation Underway
The alleged attacker was apprehended by authorities immediately after the incident and taken into custody. The motive behind the assault is currently unknown, and police have launched an investigation. SAD leaders, including Arshdeep Singh Kler and Virsa Singh Valtoha, have called for a thorough probe, suggesting a potential conspiracy by "panth virodhi" (anti-Panth) forces targeting Sikh leaders.
Wider Repercussions and Previous Incidents
The attack prompted reactions from high-level political figures. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly spoke with Harsimrat Kaur Badal to inquire about her husband's condition. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also contacted Badal, seeking details from the Nanded Superintendent of Police and ordering a comprehensive investigation into the incident, including its underlying motive.
This marks the second attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal in less than two years. In December 2024, he narrowly escaped a shooting outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where a former terrorist fired at him. That incident occurred while Badal was performing religious penance as a sewadar, following a directive from the Akal Takht for "mistakes" committed during the SAD government's tenure in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.