Nanded (Maharashtra), Aug 2026 : Shiromani Akali Dal president and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was injured after being attacked inside a gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra, on Thursday morning. Police detained the alleged attacker, while officials said Badal’s injuries were not life-threatening.
The incident reportedly took place at around 11 a.m. when Badal visited Mata Sahib Gurdwara in the Hazur Sahib area on the outskirts of Nanded. According to preliminary information, a Nihang allegedly approached Badal and attempted to attack him with a kirpan.
Security personnel accompanying the Akali Dal leader immediately intervened, preventing the assault from causing more serious injuries. A security official was also injured while attempting to restrain the attacker.
A video recorded after the incident showed Badal walking away from the site with a saffron cloth wrapped around his right hand. He was subsequently taken to a private hospital in Nanded, where he received medical treatment and stitches.
Maharashtra Police confirmed that the incident occurred within the gurdwara premises. A senior police official said Badal had sustained an injury to his hand and that doctors were examining him for any other injuries. Officials subsequently indicated that his condition was stable and that the injuries did not pose a threat to his life.
Inspector Santosh Kendre, who was deployed on special security duty, was among those injured while responding to the attack. Police detained one person in connection with the incident and launched an investigation to establish the circumstances and motive behind the assault.
Badal had travelled to Nanded from Punjab and had earlier visited Takht Sri Hazur Sahib with members of his family. His wife and Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal was present when the attack occurred.
The incident has raised security concerns surrounding the Akali Dal leader, who had also survived an assassination attempt in December 2024. On December 4 that year, Badal was targeted outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. He escaped unharmed after security personnel and others overpowered the gunman.
At the time of the 2024 incident, Badal was performing sewadar duties at the Golden Temple following a religious punishment, or tankhah, imposed by the Akal Takht on him and several other Akali Dal leaders. The action was linked to alleged mistakes during the Shiromani Akali Dal government’s tenure in Punjab between 2007 and 2017.
The latest attack occurred at a prominent Sikh religious site in Nanded, where Badal had gone as part of his visit to the historic Takht Sri Hazur Sahib. Police are continuing their investigation into the alleged assault, including the circumstances leading to the confrontation and the motive of the detained suspect.
