Condemnation pours in after attack on Sukhbir Badal; J-K CM, BJP leaders call it 'heinous', 'unacceptable'

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday, August 13, condemned the attack on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal in Maharashtra's Nanded, saying such attacks have no place or justification in a democracy.

Badal was injured in a 'kirpan' (ceremonial dagger) attack by a member of the Nihang order inside the complex of Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji in Nanded on Thursday, August 13, and was taken to a hospital.

"I join my father & my colleagues in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the heinous attack on @officeofssbadal earlier today," Abdullah said in a post on X. "What is shocking is that after Sukhbir survived an assassination attempt in Amritsar earlier, not much has been done," he said.

Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon and other senior party leaders strongly condemned the attack, with Dhillon saying he was deeply concerned over the incident. BJP MP Tarun Chugh called the attack "strongly condemnable and concerning", saying such a violent incident outside a sacred, historic religious site was "extremely unfortunate".

The Shiromani Akali Dal earlier said Badal was "fine" after the attack, in which he suffered injuries to his hand and received stitches. Police said Badal was attacked with a knife near the gurdwara at around 1.45 pm and has been hospitalised, his condition is stable. Nanded SP Dr Nilabh Rohan said the attacker, a 'sevadar' (volunteer) at the gurdwara for about two years, was taken into custody immediately and interrogation was underway.

Meanwhile, the BJP leaders said the government has taken several steps on the issue of drugs in Punjab, as the SP said the attacker initially stated he was angry about the drug issue in the state.

The attack came months after Badal survived an assassination attempt in Amritsar.