Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal faced a security breach on Saturday evening during a padyatra in the Sheikh Sarai area of South Delhi. A man allegedly threw a liquid at Kejriwal as he greeted supporters in a narrow lane. The individual was swiftly detained by security personnel.
Incident Details
The padyatra, organized by AAP without prior permission, saw Kejriwal accompanied by Delhi minister and Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj. Security arrangements included ropes on both sides of the path to manage the crowd.
At approximately 5:50 PM, Ashok Jha, identified as a bus marshal from Khanpur Depot, attempted to throw water at Kejriwal. The Delhi Police confirmed that Jha was detained immediately, and his motives are under investigation. According to DCP South, Ankit Chauhan, police deployment was in place to control the crowd despite the event being unauthorized.
Allegations of a Larger Conspiracy
Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed the liquid was spirit and alleged that a coordinated attempt was made to harm Kejriwal. Bharadwaj stated that another individual present had matches and threatened to set Kejriwal on fire. While the liquid was successfully thrown, the matches could not be lit.
Video footage shows Kejriwal walking with Bharadwaj and surrounded by security personnel. As they proceed, a man emerges and throws the liquid, which also splashes on two security officers.
Political Reactions
AAP released a strong statement blaming the BJP for the attack, citing repeated security lapses involving Kejriwal. They criticized Home Minister Amit Shah for the deteriorating law and order in Delhi.
“This is the third attack on Kejriwal in the past 35 days. Similar incidents occurred in Vikaspuri and Nangloi. If a former CM is unsafe in the capital, where will the common man go?” the statement read.
Saurabh Bharadwaj further alleged that the attacker was associated with the BJP, accusing the opposition of orchestrating such incidents to intimidate AAP leaders.
Security and Legal Action
The Delhi Police are investigating the incident, including Jha’s actions and potential affiliations. No formal arrests have been made, and authorities have tightened security around Kejriwal following the attack.
The repeated security breaches have sparked debates about political safety in India, especially in high-profile public events.
(WITH INPUTS FROM AGENCY)
