‘He loves dogs, that’s why he was upset’: Mother of Delhi CM Rekha Gupta’s attacker denies political motive | WATCH

New Delhi: Shocking new details have emerged about the man accused of attacking Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a Jan Sunwai (public hearing) on Wednesday. The accused, Rajesh Sakaria, a 41-year-old man from Rajkot, Gujarat, is said to have no political affiliations, according to his mother, who claims he was in Delhi to protest against the Supreme Court's recent order on stray dogs.

“He loves dogs, cows and birds. That is why he was upset after the SC said all the stray dogs in Delhi should be captured,” said Bhanuben Sakaria, the accused’s mother, speaking to reporters after being questioned by Rajkot Police.

The incident took place during CM Gupta’s public grievance redressal programme at her camp office in Civil Lines. According to officials, the man approached her during the event, handed her some papers and then allegedly attempted to attack her. The Chief Minister’s Office confirmed the incident, while Delhi Police detained the accused and began questioning him.

Planned or spontaneous? Delhi minister raises alarm

Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh claimed that Sakaria had been conducting a 24-hour recce of Gupta’s residence and planned the assault.

“Now, it has been found out that that person was doing a recce for 24 hours to find out how to meet the Chief Minister. He even did recce till CM Rekha Gupta house in Shalimar Bagh. Yesterday, he spent the night in the nearby Civil Lines area and when he came today morning, he did not have any papers in his hand. There was no such issue and he attacked as soon as he met her,” Singh said.

Is he a protester or an attacker?

Back in Gujarat, Bhanuben described her son as an animal rights sympathiser who had recently travelled to Haridwar before heading to Delhi.

“He went to Haridwar a few days back and then told us over phone that he will go to Delhi to participate in protests in support of dogs,” she said, stressing he had no connection with any political party.

The accused lives with his wife, son, and parents in Gokul Park, Rajkot and earns a living as an auto-rickshaw driver.

The incident has raised concerns over security arrangements at the Chief Minister's Jan Sunwai events. CM Rekha Gupta reportedly meets up to 2,000 citizens daily without heavy security, making such public interactions potentially vulnerable.