Delhi CM gets CRPF ‘Z’ security after attack, Satish Golcha takes over as Police Commissioner
New Delhi: A day after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was allegedly attacked during a Jan Sunwai (public hearing) at her Civil Lines Camp Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) overhauled her security cover and announced a new Delhi Police Commissioner. Gupta has now been given central ‘Z’ category protection, with CRPF commandos forming her immediate security ring, while Satish Golcha, a 1992-batch IPS officer, has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Police, Delhi.
The incident occurred on Wednesday morning when 41-year-old Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai Sakriya from Rajkot, Gujarat, entered the CM’s office posing as a complainant. Around 8:30 am, barely half an hour into the meeting, he suddenly lunged at Gupta while carrying some papers. He was overpowered on the spot and later booked for attempt to murder. A city court has remanded him to five days of police custody. Investigators revealed that Sakriya visited Ujjain for temple prayers before travelling to Delhi. “On reaching Delhi, he saw Gupta’s posters and a reel where she spoke about stray dogs. He then decided to attack her,” a senior police officer said.
Gupta’s office described the attack as a “well-planned conspiracy to kill her”, triggering political shockwaves across the capital. On Thursday, the MHA issued orders revising the Chief Minister’s security detail. Under the new arrangement, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will manage her proximate security, while the Delhi Police will continue guarding the outer perimeter. Six Personal Security Officers (PSOs), earlier drawn from Delhi Police, will now be provided by the CRPF’s VIP Security Group (VSG).
According to police sources, a team of 22–25 armed CRPF commandos will guard the Chief Minister round the clock at both her official residence and the Civil Lines Camp Office. CRPF personnel will regulate access, operate security gadgets, and provide both male and female PSOs during her public engagements.
Other elements of the cover, including eight static armed guards, watchers, and escort vehicles, will remain with the Delhi Police. Officials confirmed that Gupta still retains her ‘Z-plus’ level cover from the Delhi Police Headquarters, with the CRPF forming the inner shield.
The VSG, which also protects Union Home Minister Amit Shah and members of the Gandhi family, has now formally taken charge of Gupta’s security. The CRPF already provides protection to several high-profile leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and governors of multiple states.
In a parallel move, the MHA appointed Satish Golcha as the new Delhi Police Commissioner, replacing Shashi Bhushan Kumar Singh, who was holding additional charge since Sanjay Arora’s retirement earlier this month.
An official order stated: “With the approval of the competent authority, Satish Golcha, presently posted as DG (Prisons), Delhi, is hereby appointed to the post of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi with effect from the date of assumption of charge and until further orders.”
Golcha, born on April 30, 1967, has held several key positions in his career. Before becoming DG (Prisons) in May 2024, he served as Special CP (Law and Order) during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, Special CP (Intelligence), and as DGP of Arunachal Pradesh. His interim appointment to the prisons department came after a series of gang wars in Delhi jails, and his role was later regularised.
The 1992-batch IPS officer from the AGMUT cadre is known for his experience in handling law and order. He has two sons, one an entrepreneur and the other a working professional.
Although the announcement coincided with the attack on the Chief Minister, MHA officials clarified that the reshuffle was “routine” and not directly linked to the incident. “There is no connection between the appointment of the new Police Commissioner and the incident involving the Chief Minister,” the ministry said.
Gupta is not the first Delhi Chief Minister to face violence in public. Former CM Arvind Kejriwal was attacked several times — ink was thrown at him in 2016, he was slapped by an autorickshaw driver in 2014, and shoes were hurled at him during press interactions and roadshows.
The latest attack, however, has prompted an unprecedented escalation in security measures for the Delhi Chief Minister, with the CRPF now taking over her inner protection ring. The Union government has justified the decision, citing a fresh threat perception report by intelligence agencies.
