Nearly 10 days after 63-year-old Jaspal Singh was arrested for allegedly attacking Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal at Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji in Nanded, the police investigation has found no evidence of a wider conspiracy. Singh appears to have acted alone, with the attack being a spur-of-the-moment decision after a meditation session, according to police.

Singh told investigators that he felt morally compelled to attack Badal, whom he blamed for the worsening drug crisis in Punjab during the SAD-BJP government’s decade in power. Police said they independently examined his claims through technical evidence, interrogation, and statements from people around him before concluding that he acted alone.

“He is a deeply religious person who is known to be involved in meditation sessions and prayers most of the time. He blamed Badal for the worsening drug crisis in Punjab and, ever since he heard about Badal’s visit to the gurdwara where he was serving, he felt he had to do something,” an officer said.

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Singh told police that during a prayer session he felt a call from Waheguru to attack Badal, following which he decided to act, the officer said.

“After going through technical evidence, his interrogation and recording statements of those around him, it appears that he was acting alone and that no one else was involved in the attack,” the officer said.

Singh is expected to be produced before a local court on Monday.

Police said Singh had left his wife and daughter in Pune in 2023 and subsequently became a Nihang Sikh sevadar (volunteer) in Nanded. He was a lawyer by profession and had worked with a corporate firm in Mumbai, police said.

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The attack took place when Badal was coming down the gurdwara’s steps. Singh, who was standing there with three others, allegedly lunged at Badal with a kirpan (dagger). A Maharashtra Police officer from Badal’s security detail intervened and stopped him. The officer also suffered minor injuries.

Badal, 64, sustained an injury to his hand and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Singh’s stated motive comes against the backdrop of sustained political attacks on the SAD leadership over the drug problem in Punjab. The Aam Aadmi Party and other political rivals have accused the SAD-BJP government of failing to curb the spread of synthetic drugs while it was in power in the state.

Badal’s family has also faced political scrutiny over the issue. His brother-in-law and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia was arrested by Punjab Police in a narcotics case and was later granted bail.