Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Tuesday attacked by a man who came up to him outside his office in the Secretariat and then lunged towards his face, breaking his glasses and attempting to smear red chilli powder.
Mr. Kejriwal was not hurt in the incident, which took place on the third floor of the Secretariat, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.
Chandigarh: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addresses the media persons from Chandigarh, Punjab & Haryana units and party members of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), at the Chandigarh Press Club, Thursday, Nov 1, 2018. (PTI Photo) (PTI11_1_2018_000145A)
According to a witness as well as CCTV footage, the attacker, identified as Anil Kumar Sharma, approached the Chief Minister under the pretext of conveying a grievance.
He bent to touch Mr. Kejriwal’s feet and then got up, lunged towards the Aam Aadmi Party chief’s face. The witness said Mr. Kejriwal was leaving for lunch when the incident occurred.
After scanning the CCTV footage, the Delhi police said the accused walked in at 12.41 p.m. and spoke to the receptionist about meeting the Chief Minister to share a grievance regarding medical treatment of his mother.
“The receptionist spoke to the grievance cell after which he met the officials who gave him a pass to enter,” said a senior police officer. The accused then waited on the third floor and when he saw the Chief Minister coming, he walked up to him and attacked Mr. Kejriwal at 2.20 p.m., the police said. He was later arrested.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Amit Sharma said the accused was incoherent and was repeatedly saying “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “I am a desh bhakt[patriot].”
Though no formal complaint was made, the Delhi police have registered a case under Sections 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code at the IP Estate police station.
As the accused had threatened the Chief Minister, a joint interrogation was conducted by a team of Intelligence Bureau, Special Cell and local police personnel.
