A youth hurled a stone at Arvind Kejriwal during a rally in South Delhi on Saturday following which the Aam Aadmi Party leader lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying it was "scared" and "resorting to violence". The AAP leader, however, escaped unhurt in the incident, but the youth was beaten by party volunteers and was later handed over to the police.
The incident occurred while Kejriwal was addressing his first rally of the day at Tigdi in Deoli constituency.
The youth in his 20s was stopped by AAP activists as he was hurling the stone and it fell short of the podium where Kejriwal was standing. He was identified as Udit Goyal, a local mass communication student. He has been admitted to a private hospital after facing the ire of AAP volunteers. The police said that it was questioning the youth and further investigation was on.
Incidentally, this is the second attack on Kejriwal in the same area, the first being during Lok Sabha polls in April when he was doing a road show for party's South Delhi candidate Devendra Sehrawat.
Earlier this week, his rally at Najafgarh in West Delhi was disrupted after an indentified person hit the generator with a chain, which cut off the power for a few minutes.
"After the attacks (on Kejriwal) during the Lok Sabha polls, our volunteers take precautions to avoid such incidents. They are more cautious of such incidents now and we have a ring of volunteers around the stage.”
"So even if there is an attack or any mischief, it can be averted before it reaches Arvind," said a party leader.
Reacting to this incident, Kejriwal said, "The BJP is scared and has become restless which is why it is resorting to such activities and venting out its anger."
Later he tweeted, "One person threw a stone at me in Deoli jansabha. The BJP so scared? Resorting to violence? I wish well for the boy who did it."
AAP's Deoli candidate Prakash Jarwal, for whose support the rally was organised, alleged that the youth belonged to the BJP and his father was a local office bearer of the party.
Elections to the 70-member Delhi assembly is expected to be held early next year. In the assembly elections in December last year, the BJP won 31 while the AAP secured 28.
Kejriwal resigned as chief minister after a 49-day stint over the Janlokpal issue on February 14. The AAP leader has alleged during his public rallies that BJP was targeting his party as the upcoming polls will see a direct the BJP-AAP contest.
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