JAMMU: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was injured in a kirpan attack inside a gurdwara in Maharashtra’s Nanded on Thursday, with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah strongly condemning the incident and expressing concern over the security of the SAD leader.
Badal sustained a minor injury to his right hand after a man identified as Jaspal Singh, a member of the Nihang order, allegedly attacked him at Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat, around 15 km from Nanded town. The attacker was arrested by police.
Reacting to the incident, Farooq Abdullah described the attack as “very unfortunate” and said it was particularly concerning as Badal had already survived an assassination attempt in the past.
“He was attacked before too, and we cannot say it won’t happen again,” the NC president told reporters in Srinagar, urging the Centre and authorities to take necessary steps to ensure that vulnerable political figures are adequately protected.
Farooq said he and Omar Abdullah condemned the attack and expressed relief that the latest attempt had been foiled.
“Thank God that this time they were not successful and it was averted,” he said, while stressing that the government needed to take the matter seriously to prevent any such incident in the future.
Referring to the religious significance of Nanded, Farooq said it was a “blessed place” associated with Guru Gobind Singh Ji and described the incident at such a sacred place as “a very dangerous matter”.
He prayed for Badal’s speedy recovery and said he hoped the SAD chief would regain his health and continue working for the country.
Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack in a post on X, describing it as a “heinous attack” and stressing that there was no place or justification for such violence in a democracy.
The J&K Chief Minister also raised questions over Badal’s security, noting that the SAD chief had earlier survived an assassination attempt in Amritsar.
Omar said it was “shocking” that after the earlier attempt on Badal’s life, adequate steps appeared not to have been taken to protect him better.
According to Maharashtra Police, the attack took place around 1.45 pm when Badal was at the gurdwara. He was subsequently taken to hospital, where he received two to three stitches on his right hand.
A police officer from the Special Protection Unit was also injured while intervening to protect Badal.
Nanded Superintendent of Police Neelabh Rohan said the accused, identified as Jaspal Singh, was around 60–62 years old and had been working as a sewadar at the gurdwara for nearly two years.
Police said Singh was based in Pune with his family but had been staying alone in Nanded. He holds degrees in commerce and law, and investigators are examining his background and the motive behind the attack.
The police officer said the accused had initially spoken about being angry over the drug problem in Punjab, but the exact motive would emerge only after a detailed investigation. Police said they had so far found no gang connection or criminal background linked to him.
Badal, who is a Z-plus security protectee, had earlier been targeted at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in December 2024 while performing sewadar duty.
In that incident, the accused, identified as Narain Singh Chaura, allegedly pulled out a firearm and attempted to shoot Badal. The attack was foiled after people present at the spot intervened and overpowered him.
The latest incident has prompted SAD leaders to question the security arrangements for Badal, with senior party leaders demanding a CBI probe or a High Court-monitored investigation.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a probe into the incident and directed police to establish the motive behind the attack.
The incident has drawn condemnation from political leaders across the country, with leaders emphasising that violence against political figures has no place in a democratic society.
For Jammu and Kashmir, the incident has prompted a strong response from the Abdullah family, with both Farooq and Omar Abdullah stressing the need for greater vigilance and adequate security for vulnerable public figures.
