A court in Maharashtra has extended the detention of a man in police custody till August 24 after he attacked Shiromani Akali Dal chief and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal with a knife at a gurdwara in Nanded Sahib. 

The accused, identified as Jaspal Singh, was arrested on Thursday after he allegedly assaulted Sukhbir Singh Badal with a kirpan (ceremonial sword) at the Mata Sahib Gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra. 

The police said they kept the suspect under questioning for hours to uncover any possible motive for the attack, but so far, there is no official statement regarding this.

The 64-year-old Sukhbir Singh Badal was taken to the hospital after being stabbed in the right hand before leaving for Delhi. Meanwhile, the security guard who was protecting Badal was injured as he came to his aid. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis directed that a probe be initiated into the attack on Badal. 

Earlier this year, in December 2024, Sukhbir Singh Badal had survived an assassination attempt when a gunman opened fire at him during his prayer inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar.