Sukhbir Singh Badal, who previously resigned from his position in November of last year, was re-elected unopposed as the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday, April 12.

Following a determination by the Akal Takht, which deemed him ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious improprieties) due to “errors” made by the Shiromani Akali Dal and its administration, Badal had been engaged in voluntary service at the Golden Temple. Notably, he survived an assassination attempt in December 2024 during this challenging period.

A total of 524 delegates from Punjab and various other states cast their votes in favor of Sukhbir Singh Badal. His candidacy was put forward by Balwinder Singh Bhundar, the working president of the party, and was seconded by fellow party leader Paramjit Singh Sarna. The election took place at the Teja Singh Samundari hall located within the Sri Darbar Sahib complex in Amritsar, according to reports.

As part of its electoral process, SAD appointed a total of 567 delegates, selecting four representatives from each of the 117 Assembly constituencies across Punjab, as per the reports. Prominent party figures in attendance included Badal’s wife and Bathinda MP, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, former ministers Bikram Singh Majithia and Daljit Singh Cheema, as well as senior leader Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal.

Sukhbir Badal has been leading the Shiromani Akali Dal since 2008, when he took over from his father, the esteemed Parkash Singh Badal. He held this leadership role until his resignation in 2024.

Following his re-election, the party is scheduled to host a political conference on April 13 at Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), where Badal will address party members, reports further suggested.

On January 10, the SAD working committee formally acknowledged Sukhbir Singh Badal’s resignation from the position of party chief. Badal had initially stepped down on November 16; however, the committee urged him to withdraw his resignation, indicating that they would collectively resign if he did not reconsider.

On December 4, 2024, during a significant security incident at the Golden Temple, Sukhbir Singh Badal was targeted in a shooting while fulfilling his duties as a volunteer (‘sevadar’). Despite being in a wheelchair at the time, he escaped injury, as the bullet struck a nearby wall.

The assailant, identified as Narayan Singh Chaura, was subdued by bystanders outside the Golden Temple. Badal was serving a religious punishment (‘tankhah’) which had been imposed by the Akal Takht—the highest authority within the Sikh community—due to “mistakes” linked to his father, Parkash Singh Badal, during his tenure as Chief Minister from 2007 to 2017.

Following the directive, Sukhbir was required to volunteer at multiple significant Sikh sites, including Takht Damdama Sahib, the Darbar Sahib in Muktsar, Fatehgarh Sahib, and the Golden Temple, dedicating two days to each location.

Three people lost their lives in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Friday as violent clashes erupted during protests against the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. The situation has sparked tension across several parts of the state, including Malda, South 24 Parganas, and Hooghly.

According to police reports, 118 individuals have been arrested in connection with the violence. The protests, primarily in Muslim-majority areas like Murshidabad and Jangipur, escalated into large-scale confrontations involving arson, stone pelting, and road blockades. Police vehicles were set ablaze, and security forces were targeted with stones.

In response to the unrest, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made it clear that her government does not support the amended law. In a post on X, she stated, “We have made our position clear on this matter — we do not support this law. This law will not be implemented in our state. So what is the riot about?”

Emphasizing the need for calm, Banerjee appealed for peace and cautioned against using religion for political ends. “Remember, we did not make the law that many are agitating against. The law was made by the central government. So the answer you want should be sought from the central government,” she said.

Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar issued a warning to protestors, stating that the state police would not allow any disruption of law and order under the guise of protests.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar criticized the Trinamool-led administration, urging it to enforce law and order in Murshidabad. He alleged that the violence was a result of the government’s appeasement politics and claimed it was possibly a distraction from the recent Supreme Court verdict that invalidated the jobs of 26,000 school teachers.

In a significant crackdown on wildlife smuggling, the Special Task Force (STF) and Dibrugarh district police in Assam seized 11 rare tokay gecko lizards and arrested three individuals who were allegedly attempting to sell the endangered reptiles for ₹60 lakh each.

The accused have been identified as Debashis Dohutia (34), Manash Dohutia (28), and Dipankar Gharphalia (40). According to the police, the trio had sourced the geckos from Arunachal Pradesh and brought them to Dibrugarh, intending to sell them in the illegal wildlife market.

The operation was conducted following a tip-off, leading the STF team to set up a trap at Mohanbari area in Dibrugarh. With assistance from local police and operational support from the Wildlife Justice Commission’s South Asia office, the authorities tracked the suspects to a roadside eatery—Sun Feast Dhaba—located at Mohanbari Tiniali.

As per the official statement, two of the suspects arrived in a white car (registration number AS-23W-5506) and one on a motorcycle (registration AS-06AF-0276). The STF team waited until one of the suspects retrieved a red backpack from the car and entered the dhaba. Acting swiftly, the team apprehended all three individuals and recovered the bag containing the 11 tokay geckos.

These lizards, known for their high value in the Southeast Asian grey market, are listed as highly endangered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The illegal trade of such species can attract up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment upon conviction.

Tokay geckos are native to limited pockets of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in India, making their capture and sale a matter of grave concern for wildlife conservationists.