Nanded: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was on Thursday attacked near Mata Sahib Gurdwara in Nanded, in what has been described as a potentially fatal attack. He suffered an injury on his hand.
Reportedly, Badal was attacked on the outskirts of the city after he visited a gurudwara there. He was attacked by a Nihang Sikh with a kirpan, according to reports. The attacker has been taken into custody. Badal has been rushed to a private hospital the attack. A security personnel deployed in Badal's security was also injured in the attack.
The Akali Dal chief has top-tier Z-plus security cover due to high threat perceptions.
However, this is not the first time that the 64-year-old leader escaped a life-threatening attack.
Earlier attack at Golden Temple
Earlier in 2024, a shooter, identified as Narain Singh from Gurdaspur district, opened fire on him at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar on December 4. He was reporedly a Khalistani activist and was overpowered by people present on the spot and handed over to the police.
Badal was serving as a guard at the entrance of the Golden Temple as part of a penance.
Videos showed the attacker walking towards Badal and pulling out his gun and getting overpowered by temple authorities present there before firing on Badal. The wheelchair-bound leader, in a blue 'sewadar' uniform, can be seen holding a spear, ducking for cover.
2024 Video
The attacker reportedly had links with Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa. He is considered the mastermind of the 2004 Burail jailbreak case in which four inmates escaped prison after digging a 94-foot tunnel.
