Harsimrat Kaur Badal urges Amit Shah to order NIA probe into attacks on Sukhbir Badal

Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh

Bathinda MP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) senior leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to order a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into two alleged assassination attempts targeting her husband and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

In a letter to Shah, Harsimrat expressed limited confidence in what she described as a “politically motivated police system” in Punjab and said only an independent central investigation could uncover the complete circumstances surrounding the incidents.

She said the probe should identify the individuals and organisations involved, examine any possible extremist or foreign links and determine whether there was any police failure or deliberate negligence in preventing the attacks.

The latest incident occurred on August 13 in Nanded, Maharashtra, where Sukhbir Badal was allegedly attacked with a sword at a gurdwara.

The earlier incident took place on December 4, 2024, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, when a man allegedly opened fire at Sukhbir Badal while he was performing sewa in accordance with the directions of the Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

Harsimrat said the two incidents had several “disturbing similarities” and raised serious questions about whether they were connected. She also questioned the Punjab government and police over their handling of the earlier attack, saying the latest incident raises concerns about whether adequate steps were taken to prevent another attempt.

Bathinda MP stressed the need to investigate whether the two incidents were part of a “larger conspiracy” and whether any common individuals or organisations were behind them.

She also expressed concern over repeated incidents of violence at gurdwaras, saying such attacks could be intended to damage the image of sacred Sikh institutions and defame the Sikh community and Punjab.

Harsimrat maintained that an independent NIA investigation was necessary to establish the facts and determine whether there were wider extremist, foreign or organised links behind the attacks.