By Sidhima Choudhary
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was attacked by the accused Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya during a public grievance redressal session at Civil Lines around 8 AM on Wednesday. The accused was immediately detained and put into custody while an investigation is undergoing.
Rekha further addressed the attempt calling it a ‘cowardly attempt on the resolve to serve Delhi and work for the welfare of the state,’ on her X handle. Whereas, her office released statements calling the attack a ‘well-planned conspiracy to kill her.’
According to the NDTV news report, the accused is identified as an official resident of Rajkot, Gujarat. Sakriya disguised himself as a petitioner of the Jan Sunwai where he allegedly slapped, pushed, and pulled her hair before being interrupted by the security persons.
The motive behind the actions has not been revealed yet, but according to TOI, Sakaria had a prior criminal record. He had been booked five times, and one even included a knife attack. Currently, the Delhi Police has registered Section 109 (attempt to murder), 132 (assault on public servant), and 221 (obstruction of public servant).
During investigations, some accounts mentioned he was upset with Rekha Gupta over the jailing of Sakaria’s fellow relative whereas his mother mentioned he was a dog lover and was upset with the Supreme Court’s decision.
Atishi, former CM and AAP’s opposition leader, condemned the attack, calling democracy a ‘violence-free’ space. “The attack is not condemnable. Hoping for the safety of the CM and looking forward to Delhi Police taking strict action against the culprits.”
According to NDTV sources, a detailed inquiry will be conducted to discover the loophole in the security breach. Henceforth, the attack highlights growing concerns around the security of high-profile political leaders in the national capital of India.