A 41-year-old man who allegedly attempted to assault Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public grievance hearing on Wednesday has been identified as Rajesh Sakriya from Rajkot, Gujarat. Family members say he was enraged by the Supreme Court’s recent directive to round up stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region and shift them to shelters.
The incident occurred during a Jan Sunwai programme at the Chief Minister’s Civil Lines camp office. According to officials, Sakriya approached Gupta, handed her a set of documents and then suddenly grabbed her hand in an apparent attempt to pull her towards him. Security personnel and members of the public quickly intervened and overpowered the attacker.
Although Gupta did not suffer any serious injuries, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said she was left “shaken” by the confrontation. He denied reports that she had been slapped or hit, and described the episode as “a brief scuffle after the man tried to pull her”.
Also read: In the interest of humans as well as dogs: SC on stray dogs case
Sakriya’s mother, Bhanu, told reporters in Gujarat that her son was extremely upset by the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding stray dogs. “My son loves dogs. He was angry after the Supreme Court’s order against stray dogs. And left for Delhi soon after. We don’t know anything else,” she said.
There were also unconfirmed suggestions that Sakriya may have wanted to raise a separate grievance concerning a relative’s arrest, but his family maintained that his primary grievance was linked to the treatment of stray dogs.
Political leaders from across party lines condemned the assault. Former Delhi chief minister Atishi termed it “unacceptable” and called for strict action, while Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated, “She worries about Delhi. This is distressing for her detractors. I condemn the attack in the strongest words.”
Delhi Police Commissioner SBK Singh later visited the spot and confirmed that Sakriya was in custody. “He is being interrogated,” Singh said, adding that a formal statement would be issued once the initial questioning is completed.
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