Shoe attack: Security lapse at BJP HQ

Prateek Chauhan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 18

An incident of shoe hurling at a BJP MP today raised questions about the security lapses at the party national headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg. While BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP GVL Narasimha Rao was addressing a press conference, a man hurled a shoe at him.

However, after detailed interrogation by a team led by the Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police at the IP Estate Police Station, the man was asked to go as no complaint has been lodged against him after the incident occurred, said a police official.

Soon after the incident, the man who hurled shoe  was surrounded by the party workers and beaten up till police and private security staff intervened. Later, he was taken under custody and handed over to the Indraprastha Police Station.

A Delhi-based private security agency, which has guards with no defence background and security management, takes care the inside security of the multi-story three-tower premises. On such a day when a press conference was going on, the accused entered the BJP office without hassle and within minutes the conference started, he hurled a shoe at the MP. 

However, the new party building is fitted with hi-tech security gadgets and wifi, underground parking, conference halls, media facilities, studios, a library and other facilities, but this incident has alarmed the security issues on the premises which has regular visitors like the Prime Minister and other stalwarts of the party.

According to a senior police official, the man who hurled shoe was identified as Shakti Bhargava, a resident of Kanpur, was interrogated by a joint team of the Intelligence Bureau, Delhi Police during which he told police that he was mentally upset.

He has told police that prior to this also he had visited the BJP headquarters few times and never faced problem entering the party office, the official said.

The police have also questioned him as to with whom he has come to Delhi and where is he staying here, since how long and what was his motive to come to Delhi.

Further, he is facing inquiries by the Income Tax Department in connection with buying properties, undisclosed income and unaccounted money in Kanpur.

Bhargava is the controller of Bhargava Hospital and many other companies. His Facebook posts suggest that he is a vocal critic of the Narendra Modi government.