Chandigarh
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and Punjab’s former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who survived a kirpan attack at a gurdwara in Maharashtra’s Nanded, was shifted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Thursday for further medical evaluation after undergoing surgery at a local hospital. Sukhbir claimed that “forces” opposed to peace in Punjab and the country were targeting him and the SAD to disturb communal and religious harmony, but asserted that neither he nor his party would allow any attempt to destabilise the state.
“A lot of forces do not want peace in Punjab and this country. They feel that the Shiromani Akali Dal is a hindrance to their mission,” Sukhbir said, adding that his late father and former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had never compromised on communal harmony. “My father was a CM. He maintained communal harmony and respect for religions. These forces tried to attack me a year back. Their mission is to take control of the situation in Punjab and disturb the peace, which as president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, I will never allow,” he said.
Badal, who suffered a nearly five-centimetre wound on his right arm and received eight to nine stitches, said the two attacks on him had taken place at Sikhism’s most revered religious places — first at the Golden Temple and now at the Nanded gurudwara. Yet, he said, he would remain firm against attempts to create unrest.
“I am not afraid and I am committed to Punjab’s brotherhood. Shiromani Akali Dal can make every kind of sacrifice because the development of Punjab is the development of the country for us,” he said, invoking the Punjabi saying, “Jihde sir te Guru Sahib da hath hoye, ohnu koi aanch nahi aundi” (one who has the Guru’s blessings remains unharmed).
Sukhbir reached Delhi Airport on Thursday, where senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia and other party leaders received him. Majithia personally drove Badal’s car from the airport to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, where he was taken for further medical assessment following the attack.
Sukhbir had been discharged from the Nanded hospital after surgery earlier in the day. The attack took place on August 13 when he was returning after paying obeisance at Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat, around 15 km from Nanded city. His wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal was with him.
The attacker, identified as 60-62-year-old Nihang Jaspal Singh, allegedly pulled out a kirpan and aimed a blow towards Sukhbir’s chest. Sukhbir raised his hand in defence, taking the injury on his arm instead. Police said the attacker was preparing for another strike when security personnel intervened.
Alert Cop Becomes Human Shield
Maharashtra Special Protection Unit Inspector Santosh Vaijnath Kendre, who was part of Sukhbir’s security detail, immediately thrust his hand forward, reducing the impact of the weapon and preventing it from reaching Sukhbir. Kendre suffered a roughly two-inch wound on his right palm and received eight to ten stitches. Doctors said there was no damage to any nerve or muscle.
The officer then moved towards the attacker and helped overpower and disarm him. Both Sukhbir and Kendre were taken to hospital.
Harsimrat later met Kendre and praised his courage. “You became a human shield between Sukhbir ji and the attacker, risking your own life to protect him,” she said in a social media post, describing his action as a reminder that wearing the uniform means putting duty before oneself and courage before fear.
Attacker Claims ‘Waheguru’s Order’
During interrogation, Jaspal Singh reportedly claimed that he had received the order from Waheguru to attack Sukhbir. He told investigators that the idea came to his mind while he was praying at the gurdwara and insisted that the attack was sudden and that no outsider had helped him. Nanded SP Nilabh Rohan said the accused had also expressed anger over the drug situation in Punjab. Police are, however, still investigating the precise motive and examining his possible links with any group. The Maharashtra ATS has also joined the probe.
Investigators found that Jaspal had studied law, briefly practised as a lawyer, ran a small newspaper and operated a snacks shop in Pune’s Camp area for around three years. He had limited contact with his family. His wife teaches at an English-medium school in Pune. Police searches of his residence did not yield suspicious documents or literature. Jaspal had visited Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded in 2024 for sewa and had been serving at the gurdwara for around two years. Gurdwara management representative Baba Jagga Singh said he was not mentally well. Police said he had no known criminal record so far.
