Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked during a religious visit near a gurdwara in Maharashtra’s Nanded on Thursday, according to officials and reports citing the Press Trust of India (PTI). The former Punjab deputy chief minister suffered injuries to his hand, while security personnel and a police officer also sustained wounds during the incident.
The attack occurred at about 1.45 pm when Badal was at or near Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat in the city, as he carried out the day’s religious programme. Police said an unidentified man struck Badal with a knife, prompting his entourage and security team to intervene immediately. One person was detained in connection with the incident, and Badal’s condition was reported to be stable after the assault.
Details from other reporting described the weapon used as a kirpan and placed the incident in the wider Takht Sri Hazur Sahib area, where Badal was visiting Mata Sahib Gurdwara at the religious seat in Nanded. That account said Badal was accompanied by his wife and SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, along with security personnel drawn from Punjab and Maharashtra police forces, and that he sustained a hand injury as the assault unfolded (Times of India).
In the chaos that followed the attack, a police inspector—posted with the Special Protection Unit (SPU) of Nanded Police—was also injured while protecting Badal. The SPU is deployed across Maharashtra districts for security and protection of VVIPs. Reporting indicated the officer was hurt during the struggle to stop the attacker from causing further harm, highlighting how close the threat was even within a controlled security perimeter (Times of India).
Police and multiple accounts said the attacker was associated with the Nihang community. One report described the assailant as an unidentified Nihang who struck Badal while he was heading towards the langar hall after paying obeisance at the gurdwara. It was further reported that the gurdwara where the incident took place is controlled by a Nihang samparday and is not managed by the board that oversees the main Nanded Sahib gurdwara, providing a context for the specific site of the assault (Hindustan Times).
After the strike, Badal was quickly removed for medical attention. Accounts said he was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of his hand injury, and one report mentioned Yashosai Hospital as the place where he was shifted. A viral video circulating after the incident showed Badal walking within the premises with a saffron-coloured cloth wrapped around his right hand, an image that underlined the immediacy of the injury and the continued presence of security personnel while he was being assisted (Hindustan Times).
Meanwhile, the response from law enforcement was swift enough to prevent any escalation. Reports said security personnel overpowered the attacker before he could cause further injuries. Investigators then moved to detain a suspect connected to the incident, with police confirming the detention shortly after the assault and indicating that details of the motive were still being gathered.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered an inquiry into the attack, directing officials to submit details from the Nanded Superintendent of Police and to examine the motive behind the assault. The political leadership’s involvement signalled that the incident is being treated not only as a law-and-order event but also as something with potential broader implications for public safety during visits to places of worship.
Further reporting also framed the attack as taking place inside the gurdwara area, with Badal attacked by a Nihang and injured on his hand. That account said he was immediately hospitalised, and it reiterated that his condition was stable. It also noted that an official, quoted by PTI, confirmed the incident and that additional details were awaited as police conducted questioning and examined the circumstances leading up to the assault (Times of India).
As the investigation develops, police are expected to focus on how the attacker gained access during the religious visit, the sequence of events at the gurdwara complex, and whether there were any prior indicators of unrest or conflict within the space. With Badal’s security team and the SPU officer both injured, investigators will likely examine security protocols for VIP movement during temple and gurdwara visits, as well as the role of personnel tasked with crowd and perimeter management.
For now, the immediate facts are clear: Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked near a gurdwara in Nanded on Thursday during a religious visit; he suffered a hand injury; his security personnel and a police inspector were also hurt; one person was detained; and Badal’s condition was reported stable. With Maharashtra’s chief minister ordering a probe, police investigations are underway to determine motive and to ensure accountability in what authorities have described as a sudden assault during a public religious programme.
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