Watch: Union Minister Ashwini Choubey smeared with ink outside Patna hospital, says media was target

Ink was thrown at Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Tuesday while he was visiting dengue patients at Patna Medical College and Hospital.

The incident took place in the morning when Choubey was greeting people and media persons and a man, not identified yet, hurled ink at the minister as he turned away. The ink spilt all over his waistcoat and car. The man who threw ink at him is being suspected to be a relative of one of the dengue patients at the hospital.

In a face-saving measure, the minister, however, refused to acknowledge that he was the target. "Media was attacked with the ink and few drops also spilled over me," Chaoubey said of the incident.

#WATCH Bihar: A man threw ink on Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Ashwini Choubey while he was visiting dengue patients at Patna Medical College & Hospital. The man managed to escape. Minister says "Ink thrown on public, democracy and the pillar of democracy." pic.twitter.com/gVxsfdLz8d

— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2019

The minister of State for Health & Family Welfare also said that it was an attack by criminal-minded people against the public, democracy and the fourth pillar of democracy.

The attacker managed to escape the spot. No arrests have been made so far in connection with the incident.

The attack comes at a time when Patna is witnessing a rise in cases of dengue. As per the state health department, as many as 900 dengue cases have been registered in Patna since September, as a result of heavy downpour and deluge.

(With ANI inputs)