Odd-even phase II: Officer shields Arvind Kejriwal from shoe attack

NEW DELHI: A shoe was hurled at chief minister Arvind Kejriwal at a press conference on Saturday by man who claimed to be from Aam Aadmi Sena, a breakaway group of AAP. However, the shoe did not hit the AAP chief as an official quickly shielded him.

The attacker, identified as Ved Prakash Sharma, said he is the general secretary of Aam Aadmi Sena and was angry with the chief minister for not taking action against those involved in alleged irregularities in distribution of CNG stickers.

Twenty-eight-year-old Sharma first interrupted Mr Kejriwal when he was briefing reporters at a media centre of the Delhi Secretariat about the roll out of the second phase of the odd-even scheme and then threw a shoe and a CD at the chief minister. His action led to commotion. The shoe did not hit Mr Kejriwal as it was quickly deflected by an official standing near the chief minister.

The attacker was thrashed by AAP volunteers before he was whisked away by the police after the incident at around 4.10 pm. The police said the man is a property dealer and a resident of Begampur in northwest Delhi.