Indian National Lok Dal’s Haryana unit chief Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead by an unidentified person in Jhajjar district on Sunday, The Indian Express reported.
The 66-year-old politician was in a car with his private security personnel in the district’s Bahadurgarh town at the time of the incident. Three of Rathee’s security guards also received bullet injuries in the attack and one of them died in the hospital.
Party leader Abhay Chautala blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government for Rathee’s murder, PTI reported.
“Six months ago, Rathee was informed by the police that his life was in danger,” Chautala told reporters. “Later, I also spoke with the SP [superintendent of police] Jhajjar over the phone and brought this to his notice. Had he [Rathee] been provided with security, such a situation would not have arisen.”
Rathee had sought security from Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, state Home Minister Anil Vij, the director general of police and the commissioner, Chautala said.
“Today the state government has provided security to such people who have been accused in serious cases,” Chautala claimed. “Those who are involved in drugs business, and protect criminals.”
The police have constituted investigating teams to arrest the culprits, Jhajjar Superintendent of Police Arpit Jain told reporters.
“We have deployed police teams to investigate the matter,” Jain told PTI on Sunday. “Two DSP [deputy superintendent of police]-level officials are also working on this case. Investigation is underway. We will nab the people involved in this case soon.”
Khattar said that “not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared”. “Police have been instructed to arrest the accused as soon as possible and take strictest action,” he said in a social media post on Sunday.
Opposition leaders expressed grief over Rathee’s murder and accused the state government for the security lapse.
Rathee’s murder is a reflection of the state’s law and order situation, Haryana Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said.
“This incident made it clear that law and order has become bankrupt,” Hooda said. “Today no one is feeling safe in the state.”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his condolences to Rathee’s family and supporters.
“BJP has ruined the law and order system of Haryana,” the Aam Aadmi Party chief said. “Police was to be deployed to catch the miscreants but BJP has deployed Haryana Police on the border to stop the farmers.”
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