Harsimrat Kaur Badal seeks NIA probe into attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the August 13 attack on her husband and party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. The attack took place at Mata Sahib Gurdwara in Maharashtra's Nanded, where Badal was visiting. Times Now reports he was attacked with a 1.5-foot-long sharp weapon by a Nihang member, Jaspal Singh, who had been working as a sevadar at the gurdwara for two years.

In her letter, Harsimrat said Badal suffered an injury to his right arm and that the consequences could have been fatal had a security personnel not intervened. She called the incident not isolated, pointing to a similar attempt on Badal's life on December 4, 2024, at Shri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. She said the two assassination attempts have 'disturbing parallels' and raise questions about a possible connection, also questioning how the Punjab government and police handled the first attack.

Harsimrat urged the Centre to hand over the investigation to the NIA, citing the gravity and pattern of the incidents. The accused in the previous attack is still free, she said. Sukhbir Badal was discharged from a Nanded hospital and admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for surgery. The NIA has not yet announced a decision on the request.