"Attempt To Kill": What FIR In Sukhbir Singh Badal Case Reveals

An attack on Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday was an "attempt to kill" him, the First Information Report (FIR) registered in the case states. Former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Badal, was attacked in Nanded while by a man who pretended to be a devotee.

According to the complainant -- Police Inspector Santosh Vaijnath Kendre, part of the Maharashtra Police security team assigned to protect the VIP -- the attack took place at around 1:50 pm within the Gurudwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat complex. Badal was leaving the Gurudwara and was near the foot-washing area when a man, pretending to be a devotee, raised religious slogans and launched an attack on Badal. The man had a kirpan (a small knife) with which he aimed at Badal's chest. Acting swiftly, the police inspector intervened and foiled the attempted attack.

Badal suffered a minor injury to his hand, while Kendre sustained injuries to the palm and fingers of his right hand and the index finger of his left hand.

Harsimrat Kaur with Inspector Kendre at hospital.

The attack was an attempt to kill Badal, the FIR stated.

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After the attempted attack on Badal, the accused was heard saying, "I surrender, I surrender" and was arrested soon after. The accused has been identified as Jaspal Singh Teja Singh Aidal, a lawyer from Pune. Singh, a Nihang Sikh, moved to Nanded in 2024 and has been serving as a sevadar (volunteer) for nearly two years now.

According to the police sources, Singh lived alone in Nanded while his family remained in Pune. His wife works as a teacher at an English-medium school in Camp, while their daughter lives with her family in Pune's Lullanagar.

According to security sources, Badal arrived in Nanded at around 4:45 pm on August 12. On August 13, his programme included visits to Maltekdi, Heera Ghat and Mata Sahib Gurudwara. His security was led by an Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP)-rank officer, with Punjab Police personnel accompanying him, while Maharashtra Police deployed a team including PSI/PI-level officers and 11 other personnel.