Passionate dog lover, was disturbed by SC order: Mother of man who attacked Delhi CM Rekha Gupta

The incident has sparked condemnation across party lines.

The man who attacked Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta during a public hearing on Wednesday has been identified as Rajesh Sakriya, a 41-year-old resident of Rajkot in Gujarat.

Hours after he was taken into Police custody, his mother, taking to media outlets claimed that he is a passionate dog lover who was disturbed by the Supreme Court’s recent order directing stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to be rounded up and shifted to shelters.

"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," Sakriya's mother Bhanu told the media.

During the Jan Sunwai programme at the CM’s Civil Lines camp office, Sakriya allegedly handed over some papers to Gupta before suddenly grabbing her hand and attempting to pull her. A brief commotion followed before security personnel and the public subdued him.

While Gupta escaped without major injury, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said she was “shaken” but safe. He denied reports that the CM was slapped or hit, saying the incident appeared to be a scuffle after the man tried to pull her.

The incident has sparked condemnation across party lines. Former Delhi chief minister Atishi called the attack “unacceptable” and urged strict action, while Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said: “She worries about Delhi. This is distressing for her detractors. I condemn the attack in the strongest words.”

Rajkot police have taken his mother for questioning, who said she was unaware that her son would visit the Delhi Chief Minister's residence. She revealed that he travelled to Delhi after a verdict related to stray dogs and described him as mentally ill, claiming that he is an animal lover. She also said that he had previously travelled to Delhi alone. The accused, Rajesh Sakariya, belongs to a family of rickshaw pullers.

"His mind is like that-he can hit anyone. He has even beaten me; I had left for 15 days. He does have mental issues, but he never takes any medicine. He loves animals, and after the news about the dogs, he had been disturbed. He used to beat everyone at home; his nature had just become like that," the accused's mother said.