Doctor stabbed himself at BJP’s Sunday press conference in BKC, arrested

MUMBAI: The BKC police have arrested a doctor, a native of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly entering Union home minister Amit Shah’s Sunday press conference at Bandra Kurla Complex, posing as a journalist and slashing himself on the abdomen and hand twice with a surgical scissor. He, thereafter, started screaming as blood started oozing out from his abdomen and hand. The police immediately nabbed him and rushed him to a hospital.
Police have identified the person as Shakti Bhargava, 54, and it was learnt that this was not the first time he committed such an offence. Bhargava had allegedly committed similar acts at BJP’s rallies in Uttar Pradesh twice in the past. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed that his two-acre land was part of a dispute at his native place and as the government has not done anything about it, he thought of committing such an act at rallies. The accused was remanded to police custody till Thursday by a city court.
According to police, there was a press conference by BJP home minister Amit Shah in a hotel at Bandra Kurla Complex on Sunday, and appropriate arrangements were made with precautions taken. But around 11am, a person sitting in the middle row removed a surgical scissor from his pocket and slit his abdomen, chest and hand. After this he threw the scissor on the floor. During inquiry, it was found that he was wearing the identity card of a journalist who works for a Hindi daily. When police made inquiries, they found out that no such journalist works in the newspaper.
“During interrogation, he was giving vague answers. While checking his documents, an Aadhar card was found with the name, Shakti Prakash Bhargava, 54. He owns Bhargava Hospital in Kanpur city in Uttar Pradesh. His psychiatric treatment is also going on in Kanpur,” said police inspector Rajesh Gavli of the BKC police station.
The person made a fake press card and illegally gained entry to the press conference pretending to be a journalist. A case was registered against him under sections 340 (2), 336(2) 329 (3), 319 (2), 318 (4) and 125 (b) of the BNS. He was produced in court which remanded him to police custody. “We are trying to find out from where he got the identity card made,” said Gavli.