The attack on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in Nanded, Maharashtra, on August 13, 2026, has raised serious questions about the identity, background and motive of the man who allegedly targeted him.
The accused has been identified as 62-year-old Jaspal Singh, a Pune resident who had reportedly been living and serving as a sevadar at the Nanded gurdwara for around two years. Police took him into custody at the spot and have begun questioning him to establish exactly why he attacked Badal.
Who Is Jaspal Singh?
According to reports, Jaspal Singh is a 62-year-old man originally associated with Pune. Police have identified him as the son of Teja Singh and a resident of the Solapur Bazaar area of Pune.
What makes the incident particularly striking is his reported connection with the gurdwara where the attack took place. Police said Singh had been living in Nanded for approximately two years and was working there as a sevadar.
Some media reports have described him as a Nihang Sikh. However, investigators have not yet publicly established a complete account of his background, affiliations or whether anybody else was involved in the incident.
How Did The Attack Happen?
The incident occurred at Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat in Nanded after Sukhbir Singh Badal had paid obeisance.
According to reports, Badal was leaving the gurdwara when Jaspal Singh allegedly approached him and attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon, reportedly a kirpan. Badal suffered an injury to his hand, while a security personnel was also injured during the incident. Security staff intervened quickly and Singh was apprehended.
Badal was subsequently taken for medical treatment and was reported to be out of danger.
The incident is particularly significant because Badal is a Z-plus protectee, raising questions about how an attacker was able to get close to him inside a religious complex.
What Was The Reason Behind The Attack?
This remains the biggest unanswered question.
Police have not yet officially established a motive for Jaspal Singh’s alleged attack. Investigators are questioning him to determine what prompted the incident and whether it was the result of a personal dispute, a political or religious grievance, or another reason.
Some reports have suggested that an argument may have preceded the attack, but this has not been established as the official motive. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Therefore, claims circulating on social media about a definitive motive should be treated cautiously until investigators release verified information.
Is This Connected To The Earlier Attack On Sukhbir Badal?
The Nanded incident is likely to attract comparisons with the attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in December 2024.
However, the two cases involve different alleged attackers.
In the 2024 incident, Sukhbir Badal was attacked while performing religious duties at the Golden Temple. The accused was identified as Narain Singh Chaura, a former militant who had been associated with the Babbar Khalsa International network, according to reports. A police officer intervened during the shooting, preventing the bullet from hitting Badal.
The 2026 Nanded incident involves Jaspal Singh, and investigators have not established a connection between him and Chaura or between the two attacks.
Why Was Sukhbir Singh Badal At The Gurdwara?
The circumstances surrounding Badal’s presence at Sikh religious sites are also important.
In 2024, the Akal Takht had directed Badal and other SAD leaders to perform religious service as part of a process of atonement for what were described as mistakes committed during the SAD government’s tenure from 2007 to 2017. Badal had consequently been performing sewadar duties at Sikh religious institutions.
His religious service was therefore taking place in a highly visible setting when the earlier attack occurred, and the latest incident has again taken place at a gurdwara.
Questions Being Raised After The Attack
The Nanded attack has raised several important questions:
- How was Jaspal Singh able to approach a Z-plus protectee?
- Did he have prior access to the gurdwara because of his role as a sevadar?
- Was the attack spontaneous or planned?
- Was there an argument or confrontation immediately before the incident?
- Did the accused act alone?
- Was there any political, religious or personal motive?
- Were there intelligence or security lapses?
- What background information did security agencies have about the accused?
These questions are expected to become clearer as the police investigation progresses.
What We Know So Far
At present, the established picture is that Jaspal Singh, 62, a Pune-linked resident who had reportedly been serving at the Nanded gurdwara for about two years, was taken into custody after allegedly attacking Sukhbir Singh Badal. Badal sustained an injury but survived the incident.
The motive remains under investigation. While various reports have suggested possible arguments or grievances, authorities have not publicly confirmed a definitive reason for the attack.
The incident has also renewed scrutiny of security arrangements around political leaders at religious sites, particularly because Badal had already survived an attack at the Golden Temple in 2024.
Conclusion
Jaspal Singh has emerged as the central figure in the latest attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal, but much about his background and motivation remains unclear. His reported two-year association with the Nanded gurdwara makes the incident especially significant, as it raises questions about access, security and whether the attack was planned.
For now, the most important distinction is between what has been confirmed by investigators and what is being speculated in reports or on social media. Until police complete their questioning and investigation, the exact reason why Jaspal Singh allegedly targeted Sukhbir Singh Badal cannot be stated with certainty.
