Haryana Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker were killed after unidentified assailants fired several rounds of bullets at their SUV in Bahadurgarh near Delhi on Sunday, a senior party leader said. Three private gunmen hired by Rathee for security also suffered injuries in the attack.
According to news agency ANI, police have named four suspects in its FIR, including Naresh Kaushik, Ramesh Rathi, Sathish Rathi, and Rahul.
The Haryana INLD chief’s son, Jitendra Rathee, said, “After my father’s death, his body was shifted to the mortuary at around 3 to 3:30 am and an FIR was registered at around 4 am. We will not perform the last rites of my father until the names of the accused mentioned in the FIR are arrested and we are provided security. I think local politicians are involved in this.”
The attack, which came weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, drew sharp reactions from opposition parties, which alleged a breakdown in law and order in the BJP-ruled state.
INLD leader Abhay Chautala said that Rathee and a party worker accompanying him were shot dead. Three private gunmen, whom Rathee had hired for security, also received injuries, Chautala said, adding, “No police security had been given to him.”
Chautala, who later visited the hospital in Bahadurgarh where the bodies were kept, demanded a CBI probe into the incident. Meanwhile, another party leader claimed that at least 20 rounds of bullets were fired at the politician.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said he spoke to officials and ordered them to take immediate action in the matter.
He said the Special Task Force is probing the matter and the culprits will be nabbed soon.
Rathee, aged around 70, was travelling in an SUV when the assailants, who were in a car, attacked him in Bahadurgarh town in Jhajjar district.
Doctors at the hospital said that Rathee had suffered injuries in neck, stomach, spine and thigh and suffered heavy blood loss.
Rathee was elected MLA from Bahadurgarh twice in 1996 and 2005. Chautala accused the government of failing to provide Rathee with security despite there being threat to his life, and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij.
“The two-time MLA, who is our state unit chief, was not provided with security. In writing, representations had been made to senior police officers and state home minister that he was facing threats and should be provided with security,” he said.
“Rathee had earlier told me that that he was informed by some police personnel that he faces threat. Later, I also spoke to SP Jhajjar over phone and brought this to his notice…. Had he been provided with security, such a situation would not have arisen,” Chautala said.
Jhajjar Superintendent of Police Arpit Jain said that teams of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) and the Special Task Force (STF) of the police were looking into the incident.