New Delhi:
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal suffered a cut on his hand after a man attacked him in Maharashtra’s Nanded today. He has been admitted to a private hospital in the city. Doctors said he is out of danger. The wound was 4-5 cm long, the Nanded collector said.
Follow LIVE Updates on attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal
Badal reached Nanded last night. He went to a gurdwara with his family today. The attack happened shortly after the visit to Mata Sahib gurdwara.
Sources said a Nihang Sikh, identified as Jaspal Singh, swung a kirpan or dagger at the former Punjab deputy chief minister. Nihangs are a martial order of the Sikh community. A security officer immediately came between the attacker and him. While Badal suffered a cut in his hand, the security officer took most of the damage.
The attacker claims to be a law graduate from Pune who became a Nihang some years ago.
A post-attack video showed Badal walking with a cloth wrapped around his injured right hand. His wife and Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal was with him when the attack happened.
The Nihang tried to stab Badal in the stomach, according to initial investigation. The security officer’s speed and presence of mind prevented a major injury to the Akali Dal leader.
The attacker has been arrested. The police are checking CCTV footage to trace the sequence of events.
Badal is covered by the top-tier Z-plus security due to a high threat perception against him. Though it was a private visit, the Z-plus cover was with him.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a probe into the attack.
Akali Dal leader Virsa Singh Valtoha strongly condemned the attack on the party chief. “There should be a thorough probe. Who are the forces behind such an attack,” Valtoha said.
Badal came to Nanded as part of his ‘penance’ visit for “mistakes” committed by the Akali Dal government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
