Chilling new details have surfaced in the investigation of the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, painting a picture of a meticulously planned but haphazardly executed assault driven by a grievance over the city's stray dog policy.
According to highly-placed sources, the accused, Rajesh Sakriya, procured the weapon intended for the stabbing from a common vegetable cart outside the bustling New Delhi Railway Station. This knife, which officials are still searching for, was meant to be used to stab the Chief Minister during a public hearing last week in the Civil Lines area.
The attack, which culminated in Sakriya slapping, pushing, and pulling the CM's hair instead, was allegedly the result of his frustration after the Chief Minister's office ignored his appeals against the removal of stray dogs from city streets. A self-professed dog lover, Sakriya was incensed by a recent Supreme Court order mandating that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and adjoining regions be shifted from residential localities to shelters. The order was issued in view of the alarming rise in cases of dog bites leading to rabies deaths.
The plot, however, was not hatched alone. Police sources reveal that Sakriya conspired with a friend, Tahseen Syed, who has also been arrested. The two were in constant communication, with Sakriya even sending a video of the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh to Syed.
In a startling revelation, sources indicate that the initial target of their anger was not the Chief Minister, but the institution that issued the order—the Supreme Court. The duo had initially planned to attack the top court. However, upon reaching the premises, Sakriya abandoned the plan due to the "tight security" presence.
Believing the Chief Minister to be an "easier target," Sakriya then went to her Shalimar Bagh residence. He later decided to carry out the attack at her Civil Lines office during a 'Jan Sunwai' (public hearing) program. Armed with the knife purchased from the railway station area, he once again found the security detail to be formidable. At the last moment, he discarded the knife and opted for a physical assault, rushing to the dais to slap and manhandle the CM before being overpowered by her security personnel.
During the investigation, the two accused were interrogated face-to-face. It was during this confrontation that Tahseen Syed allegedly made a threatening statement, telling officials he would "not spare anyone who comes in his way."
The Delhi Police continue to investigate the case thoroughly, with teams still scouring the area to locate the discarded knife as a key piece of evidence. The incident has sparked a major debate on the security of public representatives and the escalating measures to which single-issue grievances can drive individuals.
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