- Sukhbir Singh Badal, SAD president, was attacked by two unidentified persons allegedly wearing the attire of Nihang Sikhs, in Maharashtra’s Nanded on Thursday (August 13, 2026).
- The attackers used a kirpan (dagger) to carry out the attack; Badal suffered a minor injury on the hand and is stable and out of danger.
- The suspects have been taken into custody, and Nanded Collector Rahul Kardile confirmed that investigation is under way.
- Senior SAD leader Daljit Cheema demanded a high-level independent inquiry into the incident, questioning the actual conspiracy behind the incident.
- Mr. Badal’s wife, Lok Sabha MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, was also present at the time of the incident.
- Daljit Cheema described the attacker as a person in his mid-sixties who used a ‘kirch’ (dagger) and wore traditional attire (bana).
- Mr. Cheema added, “This is a serious matter. Whenever Akali Dal rises, conspiracies start right then.”
Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, was attacked on August 13, 2026, at the Mata Sahib Gurudwara in Nanded, Maharashtra. The assailants, two unidentified men dressed in traditional Nihang attire, used a kirpan (dagger) during the attack, resulting in a minor hand injury for Badal.1
Nanded Collector Rahul Kardile confirmed that the suspects have been arrested and an investigation is ongoing. Badal is reported to be stable and out of danger, although a police inspector who intervened also sustained injuries during the incident.234
Badal's wife, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, a Lok Sabha MP, was present at the gurdwara during the attack. Senior SAD leader Daljit Cheema has called for a high-level independent inquiry, questioning the motives behind the attack. He stated, “This is a serious matter. Whenever Akali Dal rises, conspiracies start right then.”689
This incident follows a previous assassination attempt on Badal in 2024, when he narrowly escaped gunfire from a pro-Khalistan sympathizer outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The motives behind the latest attack remain unclear, with Cheema emphasizing the need for thorough investigation to determine the assailants' affiliations.
“The attack occurred at Mata Sahib Gurudwara, where Badal's wife, Lok Sabha MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, was present. Senior SAD leader Daljit Cheema demanded a high-level independent inquiry, questioning the conspiracy behind the incident and whether the attacker was a real Nihang.”
