Who Is Jaspal Singh? The Nihang Sikh Who Attacked Sukhbir Badal At Nanded Gurdwara

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal was injured after a Nihang Sikh allegedly attacked him with a kirpan inside a gurdwara in Maharashtra’s Nanded on Thursday, bringing attention to the identity and background of the accused.

The man has been identified as 62-year-old Jaspal Singh. Police said he was taken into custody immediately after the attack and is being questioned to establish what prompted him to target the former Punjab deputy chief minister.

Badal suffered an injury to his right hand and was taken to hospital, where he received two to three stitches. He is out of danger, according to an official. A member of his security detail, police officer Santosh Kendre, was also injured while intervening.

Who Is Jaspal Singh?

Jaspal Singh, 62, is originally from Pune and had previously worked as a lawyer in a Pune court.

For the past two years, however, he had reportedly been serving at Mata Sahib Gurdwara in Mugat, near Nanded.

Singh was dressed as a Nihang when the incident took place. Nihangs belong to a traditional Sikh martial order and are commonly identifiable by their distinctive blue attire and weapons, including the kirpan.

Police are now examining Singh’s background, his activities at the gurdwara and the events immediately preceding the assault.

During questioning, Singh reportedly told investigators, “Just felt like doing this.”

Authorities have not yet established a clear motive behind the attack, and further questioning is underway.

How Did The Attack Take Place?

The incident occurred at around 1.45 pm at Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat in Nanded.

Nanded Superintendent of Police Neelabh Rohan told PTI that a Nihang attacked Badal with a kirpan inside the gurdwara and that the accused was immediately detained.

The assault reportedly took place while Badal was descending steps inside the shrine.

Security personnel accompanying the SAD chief intervened and restrained the accused. Santosh Kendre, one of the police personnel deployed for Badal’s security, was injured while trying to protect him.

Badal was subsequently shifted to hospital for treatment.

Why Was Sukhbir Badal In Nanded?

Badal was in Nanded on a religious visit along with his wife, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Earlier on Thursday, the couple had visited Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, one of Sikhism’s five temporal seats.

The attack occurred later at Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat, where Jaspal Singh had reportedly been serving for around two years.

Police are now trying to determine whether Singh acted independently or whether there was any larger motive behind the assault.

Badal Faced An Attack Earlier Too

Thursday’s attack is the second serious security incident involving Badal in less than two years.

In December 2024, former Babbar Khalsa International militant Narain Singh Chaura allegedly attempted to shoot Badal near the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Chaura allegedly opened fire while Badal was performing ‘sewadar’ duty at the shrine. People present at the spot overpowered the attacker before he was handed over to police.

Badal had been performing the religious service after the Akal Takht imposed a ‘tankhah’, or religious punishment, on him over alleged mistakes committed during the SAD government’s tenure in Punjab.

The latest attack has once again raised questions around Badal’s security, while investigators in Maharashtra focus on Jaspal Singh’s motive and whether there were any circumstances beyond his initial statement that could explain the assault.