New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta appeared in public for the first time since being attacked at her residence on Wednesday, August 20, with a picture featuring her seated among Delhi BJP MPs
released on Thursday.
In the image, Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal is seen sitting beside her, while other MPs enquire about her well-being.
Have a look at it here:
Today, along with all my fellow MPs from Delhi, I met our Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta and inquired about her well-being. The Chief Minister is completely healthy and, as always, is actively dedicated to the service of Delhi’s citizens: BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal pic.twitter.com/fc1zfxQ8WE
— IANS (@ians_india) August 21, 2025
Who Attacked CM Gupta?
The incident occurred on August 20 when a 41-year-old autorickshaw driver from Gujarat, identified as Rajesh Bhai Kimji Bhai Sakariya, attacked the CM during a public hearing at her Civil Lines office. According to the police, the man posed as a complainant, approached CM Gupta with some papers and then attempted to heckle her before being restrained by security personnel.
CCTV footage from the previous day showed him at the CM’s Shalimar Bagh residence, surveying the premises and recording videos of CCTV cameras, a senior police officer confirmed.
VIDEO | Another August 19 CCTV video emerged from CM Rekha Gupta's Shalimar Bagh residence. The accused was seen sitting inside the office built within the Chief Minister’s private residence in Shalimar Bagh and recording a video.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2025
Sources said that this was not an ordinary or… pic.twitter.com/lGE5ZWfALw
The accused has been charged with attempt to murder along with other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said, “We are investigating the case from all possible angles," as quoted by The Hindu.
PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh also said that the CM had suffered injuries to her hand, shoulder and head, though senior police officials have not clarified the extent of injuries.
Increased Security Concerns
Delhi PWD Minister described the attack as a “direct assault on democratic values” and added that public hearings were an important medium for citizens to raise concerns directly with the Chief Minister. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva later dismissed earlier reports of slapping or stone-throwing as “fabricated”, saying instead that the accused had grabbed the CM’s hand and pulled her during the scuffle.
The accused’s mother told police in Gujarat that her son was disturbed by the Supreme Court’s recent order on relocating stray dogs in Delhi and had travelled to the capital to protest.
दिल्ली की मुख्यमंत्री रेखा गुप्ता पर हुआ हमला बेहद निंदनीय है। लोकतंत्र में असहमति और विरोध की जगह होती है, लेकिन हिंसा के लिए कोई जगह नहीं है।
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) August 20, 2025
उम्मीद है कि दिल्ली पुलिस दोषियों पर कड़ी से कड़ी कार्रवाई करेगी। आशा है मुख्यमंत्री पूरी तरह सुरक्षित हैं। https://t.co/I0olIy2opH
Leaders across parties condemned the assault. Congress and AAP both said there was no place for violence in a democracy. “The attack on Delhi’s Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democracy, there is a place for disagreement and protest, but there is no place for violence,” Leader of Opposition Atishi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
