India, Aug. 13 -- The man who allegedly attacked Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal inside a gurdwara near Maharashtra's Nanded city on Thursday was serving as a 'sewadar' there for the last two years, and hails from Pune, police said.

According to an eye-witness, he said "I surrender, I surrender" after allegedly attacking Badal with a 'kirpan'.

Earlier, police had said that the attacker was a member of the 'Nigang' order of Sikhs.

Jaspal Singh, the accused, is 60-62 years old and was serving as a sewadar or volunteer at Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan Ji Mugat, said a senior official.

During preliminary questioning he referred to the drug menace in Punjab but his exact reasons for attacking Badal were yet to be ascertained, sai...