Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was slapped by a 22-year-old medical representative (MR) during a Congress road show in Panipat on Sunday.
The man was identified as Kamal Mukhija of Gohana, Sonepat, and was said to be suffering from depression.
Hooda was travelling in an open-top vehicle when a man from the crowd jumped and hit him. The attacker was pushed back by the Haryana CM.
The attack raised questions over the security provided to the Haryana CM. Hooda enjoys Z category security with scores of heavily armed security personnel around him all the time. However, the guards could not be seen immediately next to him in visuals of the attack that ran on TV channels.
The incident took place near Sanjay Chowk in Panipat and Hooda was accompanied by Karnal parliamentarian Arvind Sharma and commandoes from the Haryana police.
The police detained Mukhija after the attack and an agitated Hooda could be seen giving instructions to the security personnel following the incident.
Superintendent of police, B Satheesh Balan, told HT over the phone that Mukhija was being treated for depression. Denying that Hooda was slapped by the accused, the SP said that Mukhija just jumped near the CM’s car and was overpowered.
{{/usCountry}}Superintendent of police, B Satheesh Balan, told HT over the phone that Mukhija was being treated for depression. Denying that Hooda was slapped by the accused, the SP said that Mukhija just jumped near the CM’s car and was overpowered.
{{/usCountry}}“We have booked Mukhija for breaching the security cordon. The accused pleaded that he crossed the security cover in excitement caused by sedatives prescribed for his depression problem,” the SP said.
A case has been registered against him under various sections of the IPC.