Delhi CM Rekha Gupta attacked during 'Jan Sunwai', accused detained
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a 'Jan Sunwai' programme at her camp office in Civil Lines on Wednesday morning, her office said.
According to a senior police officer, the accused has been detained, and he is being interrogated. North Delhi DCP and other senior police officers are at the spot.
Sources in Delhi Police said the accused has been identified as Rajesh Bhaiji, a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat.
"A person attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during 'Jan Sunwai' today. Delhi Police has detained the accused and is questioning him," The Chief Minister's Office said in a statement.
Sources in Delhi BJP said that Gupta was "attacked" by a person aged around 35. He first gave the chief minister some papers during the public hearing and then allegedly attacked her, they said.
Talking to reporters after meeting the CM, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said that CM Gupta is "shaken", but she is doing fine.
"During the 'Jan Sunwai' this morning, the CM was interacting with the public as usual when a man approached her, handed over some papers and suddenly caught her hand, attempting to pull her towards him.
"In the scuffle that followed, people overpowered him... His identity and other details are being investigated by the police," he added.
The Delhi BJP chief denied reports that the CM was slapped or a stone was pelted at her. Such incidents in politics are unacceptable, he said, adding that 'Jan Sunwai' will continue.
She is taking a rest right now and has made it clear that she will not cancel her scheduled programmes, he added.
The security at the camp office has been beefed up and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been informed about the incident, officials said.
An eyewitness, who was present at 'Jan Sunwai', said, "We all were sitting. A person whose turn came sat with the CM... he was speaking with the CM and suddenly he attacked her. We heard a loud sound. And immediately the police detained the person."
Shailender Kumar, a man who had come with a complaint regarding sewer issues in his locality, said, "We heard that someone has slapped the chief minister. This is not right."
Former Delhi chief minister and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Atishi also condemned the incident and hoped the chief minister was safe and the police will take strong action against the guilty.
Delhi Police Commissioner SBK Singh visited the camp office where the incident happened.
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa condemned the attack on the chief minister. "She worries about Delhi. This is distressing for her detractors. I condemn the attack on her in the strongest words," Sirsa said.
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
