“Shocking lapse of security. Is this Delhi Police’s incompetent effort to protect an elected CM? (Sic)”Raghav Chadda

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Tuesday afternoon attacked in the Delhi Secretariat by a man who threw red chilli powder at him.

Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said the Chief Minister was walking out of his office on the third floor of the Secretariat when a man came up to him and threw chilli powder at him. The Chief Minister’s glasses were broken in the incident.

Mr. Kejriwal was leaving to go home for lunch around 2.10 p.m. when the incident happened.

AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha, who was with Mr. Kejriwal when the incident happened, said in a tweet: “Was right behind CM Arvind Kejriwal at the Secretariat when he was suddenly attacked, on third floor right outside his office. Shocking lapse of security. Is this Delhi Police’s incompetent effort to protect an elected CM? (Sic)”.

According to a Delhi government official who was an eyewitness, the attacker, identified as Anil Kumar Sharma of Naraina, first came towards Mr. Kejriwal under the pretext of touching his feet. The attacker then allegedly said “you are my hope” and then threw the powder, the official said. In the commotion, Mr. Kejriwal’s glasses broke.

The attacker was apprehended and taken into custody at the IP Estate police station, the official said.