The Indian National Lok Dal's Haryana unit president Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Jhajjar district of Haryana on Sunday, according to a senior party leader. Nafe Singh Rathee, a former MLA, was travelling in an SUV when the assailants, who were in a car, attacked him in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh town. INLD leader Abhay Chautala said that Rathee was shot dead in Jhajjar district, according to PTI.
He accused the government of failing to provide Rathee with security despite there being threat to his life, and demanded the resignation of the chief minister and the home minister.
Speaking on the alleged attack on Rathee, Jhajjar SP Arpit Jain said, "We received information regarding an incident of firing. CIA and STF teams are working. The accused will be arrested soon." Police said the investigation in the matter was underway.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said that he has asked officials to take immediate action.
"I have asked the officials to take immediate action in this matter. STF has also swung into action. The incident is being investigated," Vij said.
Jhajjar Superintendent of Police (SP) Arpit Jain informed that two Deputy superintendent of police (DSP)-rank officers are involved in the investigation. "The accused will be traced as soon as possible...Currently, we are aware of four attackers. If there are others involved, they will be arrested soon...The process to register an FIR is underway," he told ANI.
Dr Manish Sharma at Brahma Shakti Sanjeevani Hospital, who attended to Nafe Singh Rathee and other victims, said two out of the four people, including the former MLA were brought dead to the hospital.
"In the evening, four people who had been shot were brought to Brahma Shakti Sanjeevani Hospital. Out of them, two had suffered heavy bleeding and were brought dead, still, we tried CPR but they couldn't be saved. Two others are admitted to the ICU with gunshot wounds on the shoulder, thigh, and left side of the chest... Former MLA Nafe Singh and another person Jaikishan were brought dead. They were shot in the neck, back, and shoulder. Multiple wounds suggest there were multiple rounds of fire... Sudden major vessel damage causes heavy blood loss and eventually, heart attack," Dr Sharma said.
Reacting to the incident, former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the incident reflects the law and order of the state. "This incident made it clear that law and order has become bankrupt. Today no one is feeling safe in the state," the Congress leader posted on X.
AAP leader Sushil Gupta said, "Haryana INLD president Nafe Singh and his associates have been shot dead. No one feels safe here (in Haryana) anymore. Businessmen are shot and then extorted, politicians are being shot dead on roads, bullets are fired at farmers. Will the rule of law prevail in this state, or will the Chief Minister continue to remain occupied with election rallies?"