New Delhi, August 20, 2025
The man who attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public hearing on Tuesday has been identified as Rajesh Sakriya, a 41-year-old resident of Rajkot, Gujarat. According to Delhi Police, Sakriya was apprehended immediately after the incident and is currently being questioned.
His mother, Bhanu, told reporters that her son was a dog lover and had been distressed by the Supreme Court’s recent order to round up stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and shift them to shelters. “My son loves dogs. He was angry after the Supreme Court’s order against stray dogs. He left for Delhi soon after. We don’t know anything else,” she said.
Eyewitnesses said Sakriya approached the Chief Minister during the ‘Jansunwai’ meeting at her residence, initially carrying some documents. He allegedly began shouting before suddenly lunging at her. Some present claimed he appeared intoxicated, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Police sources indicated that Sakriya may have also sought the Chief Minister’s intervention in a case involving a relative’s arrest. An official statement from Delhi Police is awaited, but Commissioner SBK Singh has ordered a probe into what is being described as a major security breach.
The attack has triggered sharp political reactions. The BJP termed it a possible conspiracy, with Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa alleging that “rivals cannot tolerate the Chief Minister’s work on the ground.”
Meanwhile, opposition leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi of the AAP strongly condemned the assault. “There is no place for violence in a democracy. Disagreements and protests are part of politics, but physical attacks are unacceptable. We hope Delhi Police takes the strictest action,” she said.
Chief Minister Gupta was unharmed in the incident and later assured citizens that she would continue her public interactions without fear.
