Sukhbir Singh Badal Injured in Nihang Attack in Maharashtra; One Held
Badal, the former deputy chief minister of Punjab, was attacked by the man around 1.45 pm with a kirpan (ceremonial dagger worn by Sikhs) when he was visiting the Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat, according to the Maharashtra Police
Mumbai: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was injured after a Nihang Sikh allegedly attacked him with a kirpan at a gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra, on Thursday. The attacker was overpowered and taken into custody.
Badal, 64, was visiting the Mata Sahib Devaan Ji Mugat Gurdwara with his wife Harsimrat Kaur around 1.45 pm when the assailant, dressed in Nihang attire, allegedly tried to stab him with a kirpan. Security personnel intervened and foiled the attack.
Badal suffered an injury to his right hand and was taken to a private hospital, where he received two to three stitches. He is stable and recovering, party leaders said.
The accused was identified as Jaspal Singh Tejpal, 62, a lawyer from Pune who had reportedly been serving at the gurdwara near Nanded for the past two years. Police are questioning him to ascertain the motive behind the attack.
Nanded Superintendent of Police Neelabh Rohan confirmed that a Nihang had attacked Badal with a kirpan inside the gurdwara and had been taken into custody.
Police officer Santosh Kendre, who was part of Badal’s special protection unit, was also injured while intervening.
The gurdwara, located on the outskirts of Nanded, is controlled by a Nihang sampradaya and is not managed by the board overseeing the main gurdwara at Nanded Sahib.
SAD leaders described the incident as an intelligence failure. Badal’s brother-in-law and party leader Bikram Singh Majithia demanded a CBI probe into the attack.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Harsimrat Kaur over the phone and enquired about Badal’s health.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also spoke to Badal and ordered a probe into the attack. He assured the SAD chief of all possible assistance and strict action against those responsible.
This is the second public attack on Badal in less than two years. On December 4, 2024, former militant Narain Singh Chaura fired at him at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The bullet missed Badal and the attacker was overpowered.
BJP national spokesperson R.P. Singh condemned Thursday’s attack, saying political differences could never justify violence and called for a thorough and impartial investigation.
