Party demands CBI investigation into incident
Nanded/Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was injured in a ‘kirpan’ attack by a member of the Nihang order inside a gurdwara on the outskirts of Maharashtra’s Nanded town on Thursday, police said.
The former Punjab deputy chief minister, who escaped an attempt on his life at the Golden Temple entrance in December 2024, was rushed to hospital where he received two to three stitches on his right hand.
The attacker, identified as Jaspal Singh, was arrested. Singh, around 60-62 years old, was working as a sewadar or volunteer at the Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat for the past two years, police said.
Leaders of SAD termed the attack, which took place around 1.45 pm at the gurdwara, about 15 km from Nanded, an intelligence failure and said Badal was fine and in high spirits.
Senior leaders, including Badal’s brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia, demanded a CBI or a high court-monitored probe into the matter.
“A Nihang (member of a martial order of Sikhs) attacked Badal with a kirpan (ceremonial dagger) inside the gurdwara. The attacker has been taken into custody,” Nanded Superintendent of Police Neelabh Rohan said.
Jaspal Singh holds commerce and law degrees and is based in Pune with his family, the SP said, adding that he was staying alone in Nanded.
“We are checking his background… Initially he said he was angry about the drugs (problem) in Punjab. But the exact reason for the attack will come out only after a detailed investigation. We have also not come across any gang connection or criminal background of the attacker,” Rohan said.
Police officer Santosh Kendre, who was part of the special protection unit, was injured while protecting him. Badal was going down a flight of stairs at the time.
Visuals showed Badal walking inside a hospital building with a cloth wrapped around his right hand.
Badal is protected by Z plus category security. However, he is entitled to CISF cover only in Punjab and Delhi with a deployment of around 40 personnel. Punjab police personnel were with him when the attack took place.
Earlier in the day, the 64-year-old SAD chief visited the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, which is one of the five Takhts of Sikhism, along with wife and Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Harsimrat Kaur, who had been part of the Modi government, to inquire about his health.
