Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Sukhbir Badal injured in second attack at Nanded gurdwara
An important leader in India named Sukhbir Singh Badal was hurt at a special Sikh temple in a city called Nanded.
A man with a small knife tried to attack him as he was leaving the temple after praying.
Badal used his arm to protect himself and got a cut.
He was taken to a hospital, where doctors took care of him.
Some people said the cut was small and that he was fine, but others said it was deep and needed stitches.
The man who attacked him was caught by the police.
A security guard who tried to help was also hurt.
This is the second time someone has tried to hurt Badal at a Sikh holy place in less than two years.
Earlier, a man tried to shoot him at the Golden Temple, but a police officer stopped the bullet.
The police are still trying to find out why it happened, and some leaders are asking for a bigger investigation.
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked with a kirpan while leaving Gurdwara Mata Sahib at the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib complex in Nanded, Maharashtra, at around 1.45 pm on Thursday.
Injured on his arm while shielding himself, Badal was taken to a private hospital; the party called the wound minor and said he was stable, while Bikram Singh Majithia said it required 8-10 stitches and surgery.
A security personnel was also injured, the attacker, described as a Nihang Sikh, was detained, and Majithia said a second attempt was thwarted by security.
It was the second serious attack on Badal in less than two years, after Narain Singh Chaura fired at him at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on December 4, 2024, during a religious penance imposed by the Akal Takht.
Akali Dal leaders alleged a 'total failure of intelligence' and demanded a CBI enquiry into both attacks, while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the Maharashtra Police to investigate the motive; there was no immediate indication of any connection between the two incidents.
- Who
- Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal and former Punjab deputy chief minister, who was visiting the shrine with his wife, Lok Sabha MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
- What
- Badal was attacked with a kirpan, a small sharp-edged knife, as he was leaving Gurdwara Mata Sahib; he was injured on his arm and taken to a private hospital, while a security personnel was also injured.
- When
- Thursday, around 1.45 pm, less than two years after the December 4, 2024 shooting attempt at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
- Where
- Gurdwara Mata Sahib at the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib complex in Nanded, Maharashtra, India.
- Why
- The motive is under investigation; Akali Dal leaders called it a deliberate assassination attempt and alleged an intelligence failure, but police have not yet established the attacker's identity or motive.
Akali Dal Sees Conspiracy and Security Failure
Investigation and Motive Not Yet Established
Nature of the attack
Akali Dal Sees Conspiracy and Security Failure
Senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia called it a deliberate assassination attempt and a 'total failure of intelligence' that could have been fatal, saying Badal represents the moderate side of Punjab and was targeted to silence him.
Investigation and Motive Not Yet Established
Police have detained a suspect and are investigating his identity and motive; there is no immediate indication of any connection to the December 2024 Golden Temple shooting, and no security lapse has been established.
Who is responsible for security lapses
Akali Dal Sees Conspiracy and Security Failure
The Akali Dal blamed the AAP government and Punjab Police, saying Bhagwant Mann's failure led to the 2024 attack and questioning how Narain Singh Chaura was released on bail within four months.
Investigation and Motive Not Yet Established
The Maharashtra government, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directing police to investigate the motive, is examining how the attacker approached Badal; the difficulty of controlling access at crowded religious sites was also noted.
What lies behind the attack
Akali Dal Sees Conspiracy and Security Failure
Akali Dal spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kaler alleged anti-Panthic forces could be behind repeated targeting of Sikh leaders, and the party linked the attack to external divisive forces seeking to destabilise Punjab's peace.
Investigation and Motive Not Yet Established
Investigators have not established who the attacker is, at whose instance he acted, or what conspiracy, if any, lay behind the attack; police said there was no immediate indication of a link between the two incidents.
- Victim
- Sukhbir Singh Badal, Shiromani Akali Dal president and former Punjab deputy chief minister
- Type of attack
- Attack with a kirpan (sharp-edged weapon) at a gurdwara, called a deliberate assassination attempt by the party
- Location
- Gurdwara Mata Sahib, Takht Sri Hazur Sahib complex, Nanded, Maharashtra
- Reported condition
- Stable; party said minor arm injury, Majithia said 8-10 stitches and surgery
- Suspect
- Nihang Sikh detained; identity and motive under investigation
- Previous attack
- Shooting attempt by Narain Singh Chaura at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, December 4, 2024
- Others injured
- One security personnel; a second attack attempt was thwarted
- Investigation demand
- Akali Dal demanded a full CBI enquiry into both attacks
