Rekha Gupta's attacker Rajesh Sakaria's mother reveals why 'animal lover' son attacked Delhi CM

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked on Wednesday during a ‘Jan Sunwai’ programme at her Civil Lines camp office. The accused, identified as Rajesh Sakaria (41) from Rajkot, Gujarat, was detained by police soon after the incident.

While the political motive behind the attack was widely speculated, his mother, Bhanuben Sakaria, told reporters that her son was upset with the Supreme Court’s recent order to relocate stray dogs in Delhi to shelters.

“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. 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,” Bhanuben said.


Police sources told PTI that Sakaria, an auto-rickshaw driver, first handed some papers to the chief minister before allegedly attacking her. He was overpowered and taken into custody for questioning.

Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the attacker had conducted a 24-hour recce before 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 told reporters.

Another minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, added that the accused had filmed videos of Gupta’s residence. “The attacker was doing a recce for the last 24 hours. He had been to Rekha Gupta's Shalimar Bagh residence too. He had shot videos there as well... It is very clear that he had come with the intent to attack; he had no Jan Sunvai papers in his hand. Videos from yesterday were found on his phone. His intent to attack is clear... Jan Sunvai will continue... Works for Delhi will go on,” Sirsa said.

Bhanuben maintained her son had no links with any political party. “That’s all he told us over the phone when we asked when he would return,” she added.

Investigators are now probing whether Sakaria acted alone or was part of a larger group protesting against the Supreme Court’s directions on stray dogs.