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Arvind Kejriwal, Himanta Sarma, Sheila Dikshit, Jagan Reddy, Nitish Kumar, and others have faced attacks, with Beant Singh killed in a 1995 bomb blast.
Rekha Gupta: A man in his 40s reportedly approached the Chief Minister during a public grievance forum where she meets citizens and attacked her. (File Photo)
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public grievance hearing on Wednesday morning at her residence in Civil Lines in the national capital. The incident occurred during CM Gupta’s weekly ‘Jan Sunwai’ at her residence, where citizens come to present grievances.
Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai Sakriya, the man who attacked Gupta, was standing in a queue to meet the Chief Minister and had nearly five people before him. He suddenly breached the queue and approached Gupta with the documents he was carrying. He then shouted, slapped her, pulled her hair, and abused her.
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The accused grabbed the Chief Minister by her hair and did not let go for quite some time. He was quickly overpowered by the security team and arrested.
The police also registered an attempt to murder case against the accused for attacking the Delhi Chief Minister.
The incident is a reminder that political leaders, regardless of their position, often encounter moments when public anger takes a physical turn. While such acts are condemned, history shows that Chief Ministers across India have been targeted in unusual and sometimes shocking ways. From flying slippers to water and even inks, here are some of the instances where politicians have been unexpectedly attacked.
Take a look at past incidents
1. Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has been attacked several times during his tenure. He was slapped by an auto-rickshaw driver in 2014; he had shoes thrown at him during a press meet in 2015; ink thrown on him at a stadium in 2016; he was attacked with water during a padyatra in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar in 2024.
2. Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam): Assam Minister and state government spokesperson Piyush Hazarika, in June this year, alleged that Sarma was “attacked with bottles by Congress leaders.
3. Sheila Dikshit (Delhi): The three-time Chief Minister and Congress veteran, late Sheila Dikshit, was booed and a slipper was hurled at her at a public function in north east Delhi by a group of India Against Corruption activists, protesting price rise and stiff hike in power tariff in 2012.
4. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (Andhra Pradesh): The former Andhra Pradesh CM was attacked twice. In 2018, Reddy, who was then the opposition leader of Andhra Pradesh, was attacked by a waiter with a knife at the VIP lounge at Vishakhapatnam Airport. Reddy managed to escape with a minor injury. In 2024, during a campaign rally in Vijayawada, he was struck by a stone, causing a minor injury to his left temple.
5. Nitish Kumar (Bihar): Bihar Chief Minister and JDU leader Nitish Kumar was attacked from behind during a public event by a mentally unstable man in March 2022. The man, who came from behind, walked up the dais in rapid steps and struck Kumar – who had bent to make a floral offering to the statue, on the back. He was immediately dragged off by the Chief Minister’s security personnel. “Do not beat him. First find out what he is saying,” the Chief Minister had told his security personnel.
6. Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Haryana): Former Haryana CM and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda was slapped by a young man at a road show in Panipat in 2014. Hooda was travelling in an open jeep when a man in a brown jacket lunged towards him and slapped him.
7. Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh): In October 2003, Naidu survived a land mine blast by the People’s War Group (PWG) near Alipiri tollgate in Tirupati. The Chief Minister’s convoy was attacked on his way to Tirumala to participate in the annual ritual of Brahmotsavam of Lord Venkateswara atop the seven hills. He survived with minor injuries.
8. Mayawati (Uttar Pradesh): In June 1995, after the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and former UP CM announced her decision to withdraw support from the Mulayam Singh Yadav government, SP leaders and workers reached the guest house where Mayawati was scheduled to meet her party leaders and allegedly attacked her. As per reports, Mayawati’s room was vandalised, casteist and sexual abuse were thrown, and she was also thrashed. She was rescued from the guest house by BJP leaders.
9. Hiteshwar Saikia (Assam): Former Chief Minister Hiteshwar Saikia narrowly avoided an assassination attempt in 1982 when a would-be assassin aimed a homemade revolver at his forehead as he exited a public meeting.
10. Beant Singh (Punjab): Former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh was killed in a bomb blast at the secretariat complex in Chandigarh on 31 August 1995. A car bomb was detonated by a suicide attacker near Beant Singh’s official car. The blast claimed the lives of 17 others, including three commandos. The assassination was planned and executed by Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a Khalistani extremist group. The suicide bomber, Dilawar Singh Babbar, was a serving Punjab Police constable at the time.
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
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