Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday (August 16) wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the attack on SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal at Shri Hazur Sahib Gurudwara in Maharashtra's Nanded on August 13 and an assassination attempt on him at the Golden Temple in December 2024.
In her letter, Harsimrat Kaur, who is the wife of Sukhbir Badal, described the August 13 incident in Maharashtra's Nanded as a "dastardly and heinous assassination bid" and urged the Centre to hand over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), citing the gravity, pattern and circumstances surrounding the incident.
Urges Centre to order high-level investigation
The SAD MP urged the Centre to order a high-level investigation into the August 13 attack as well as the earlier attempt on Sukhbir Badal's life at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on December 4, 2024. She also sought an inquiry into whether the two incidents were connected and whether a larger conspiracy was behind them.
The two assassination attempts had "several disturbing parallels" and raised serious questions about whether they were connected and whether there was a "larger conspiracy" behind them, the former Union minister said in her letter to Shah.
"I write this against the backdrop of the dastardly and heinous assassination bid against my husband and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Sardar Sukhbir Singh Badal, on August 13, 2026. I write with a mix of personal pain and profound concern for our society, our state of Punjab and our country, particularly over the manner in which violence is being normalised and even justified by persons holding positions of power in Punjab, apparently as a means of pursuing political battles. Only an independent central investigation can establish the full chain of events, identify the individuals and organisations involved, determine whether the two attacks are connected, examine any possible extremist or foreign links, and establish whether there was any failure, complicity or deliberate dereliction of duty by public officials. In view of the above, I respectfully request you to order a high-level investigation by the National Investigation Agency into the assassination attempt of August 13, 2026 and the earlier attempt of December 4, 2024, and to examine whether the two incidents are connected and whether there is a larger conspiracy behind them," she writes.
Harsimrat said the latest attack had raised serious concerns about the security of her husband, the sanctity of religious places and the alleged normalisation of political violence in Punjab.
Sukhbir Badal suffered an injury to his right arm, while a security personnel who intervened to stop the attacker was also injured. Harsimrat said the consequences could have been fatal had the security officer not acted swiftly. "The two assassination attempts have several disturbing parallels and raise serious questions about whether they are connected," Harsimrat said.
Harsimrat Kaur highlights 3 key points in her letter
- The SAD MP highlighted three key concerns, including the fact that both attacks took place at sacred gurdwaras while a devout Sikh was engaged in religious service.
- She also questioned the Punjab Police and the state government, pointing to what she described as a striking pattern between the two attacks.
- According to Harsimrat, the repeated incidents appeared to be aimed at damaging Punjab’s image globally and defaming the Sikh community.
- She said the circumstances surrounding the attacks warranted a thorough NIA investigation and sought Shah’s intervention in the matter.
SAD MP questions handling of December 2024 attack by Punjab govt, police
Harsimrat also questioned the handling of the December 2024 attack by the Punjab government and Police. She alleged that the assailant in that case, Narain Singh Chaura, had known extremist antecedents and that authorities had prior information about threats to Sukhbir Badal. She alleged that despite this, Chaura was able to move freely inside the Golden Temple premises and gain access to Sukhbir Badal, who was performing seva at the time.
The SAD MP also raised questions over the alleged interactions between senior Punjab Police officers and Chaura before the 2024 attack. She cited photographs showing what she described as an unusually cordial relationship between police officials and the accused and said these circumstances warranted an independent investigation.
Harsimrat further questioned the conduct of then Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar following the attack, alleging that the officer appeared to suggest soon after the incident that the attack could have been staged by Sukhbir Badal to gain sympathy.
She said such statements were particularly disturbing because they appeared to cast suspicion on the victim rather than focus on the alleged attacker and possible security lapses.
The SAD MP also alleged that the Punjab Police initially failed to record statements from Sukhbir Badal, members of his security team and the security personnel who intervened during the attack. She questioned why the FIR was registered on the version of the local SHO and alleged that the incident was initially treated as a minor altercation rather than an attempted assassination.
She argued that the August 13 incident could not be viewed in isolation, particularly because it followed the 2024 attack at the Golden Temple. "Only an independent central investigation can establish the full chain of events, identify the individuals and organisations involved, determine whether the two attacks are connected, examine any possible extremist or foreign links, and establish whether there was any failure, complicity or deliberate dereliction of duty by public officials," she wrote.
Sukhbir Singh Badal attacked in Maharashtra's Nanded
Badal sustained injuries to his right hand in a 'kirpan' (ceremonial dagger) attack by a member of the Nihang order inside a gurdwara on the outskirts of Maharashtra's Nanded town on Thursday. The attacker was later arrested.
Badal was discharged from the hospital in Nanded on Friday and admitted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for surgery.
Badal escaped an attempt on his life at the Golden Temple entrance in December 2024.
Also Read
Who is Jaspal Singh, 62-year-old lawyer, arrested for attacking Sukhbir Singh Badal?
