Shiromani Akali Dal president and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was injured in a ‘kirpan’ assault by a Nihang close to Mata Sahib Gurdwara at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib on the outskirts of Nanded in Maharashtra on Thursday.
In an replace later within the night, the SAD stated Badal was wonderful and in “excessive spirits”. Based on an area official in Nanded, 64-year-old Badal is out of hazard. He was taken to a hospital the place he obtained two to a few stitches on his proper hand.
“A Nihang (member of a martial order of Sikhs) attacked Badal with a kirpan (curved dagger) contained in the gurdwara,” Nanded SP Neelabh Rohan advised PTI.
The assailant has been taken into custody, the IPS officer stated.
Nanded Collector Rahul Kardile stated, “He (Sukhir) suffered a minor damage on the hand and is secure and out of hazard; the police inspector who saved the SAD chief additionally sustained accidents. The suspect has been taken into custody and investigation is below manner.”
Get together sources stated the incident occurred within the afternoon when Sukhbir Singh Badal, accompanied by his supporters and safety personnel, was visiting Gurdwara Mata Sahib Kaur in Nanded.
The gurdwara, positioned on the outskirts of the town, is surrounded by forest. The gurdwara is managed by a Nihang sampradaya and isn’t managed by the board that oversees the principle gurdwara in Nanded Sahib.
Benefiting from the push on the gurdwara, an individual reportedly wearing Nihang Sikh apparel and carrying a sharp-edged weapon approached Badal and tried to stab him. An alert safety personnel intervened and foiled the assault earlier than the assailant was overpowered.
The attacker was additionally severely injured within the incident, whereas Badal sustained an damage to his hand.
SAD leaders termed the assault an intelligence failure. Senior leaders, together with Badal’s brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia, demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
“It’s a whole intelligence failure. We have to realise that nobody assaults at ‘Guru ghar’. Those that are atheists do such acts,” he advised PTI.
Badal is protected by Z plus class safety. Nonetheless, he’s entitled to CISF cowl solely in Punjab and Delhi with a deployment of round 40 personnel. Punjab Police personnel had been with him when the assault occurred.
In the meantime, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sought a report from the Nanded Superintendent of Police concerning the assault.
Fadnavis additionally ordered an inquiry into the motive behind the assault. The Chief Minister’s Workplace stated Fadnavis spoke to Badal over the cellphone and enquired about his well being. It added that Badal’s situation was secure.
