New Delhi
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta made her first public appearance on Friday since the shocking assault during a public grievance hearing on August 21. She attended a scheduled program at Ashok Bazaar in Gandhi Nagar amid tight security measures.
Ahead of her arrival, Gandhi Nagar Market was placed under heavy security, with several shops ordered to remain closed. Delhi Police and CRPF personnel were deployed across the area, and multiple checkpoints were set up to monitor movement. Locals described the environment as “tense but orderly,” with traffic diverted to alternate routes.
The assault at her Civil Lines residence, where she was allegedly slapped by a man identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, had sent shockwaves through Delhi’s political circles. Senior leaders including Manoj Tiwari, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Yogendra Chandolia, Praveen Khandelwal, and Bansuri Swaraj visited Gupta to express solidarity and check on her well-being.
Rajesh Bhai was produced in court on Thursday and remanded to five days in police custody. He has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for attempt to murder (Section 109), obstruction of a public servant (Section 132), and impeding public duties (Section 221).
New CCTV footage from August 19 reportedly shows the accused arriving at CM Gupta’s Shalimar Bagh residence multiple times on a cycle rickshaw. He was allegedly handed a slip containing the Chief Minister’s Civil Lines address and ‘Jan Sunvai’ schedule, which may have aided the planning of the attack.
This public return of CM Gupta marks a significant step after the incident, reflecting heightened security protocols and ongoing investigations into the assault.
