Haryana INLD chief and former MLA Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead allegedly by unidentified assailants at Bahadurgarh in the Jhajjar district on Sunday (February 25), the police said. An associate of Rathee also died in the incident. The former MLA suffered several bullet injuries including near the neck, waist and thighs.
The Police said that the STF and CIA teams are working on the matter and the accused will be arrested soon.
“We received information regarding an incident of firing. CIA and STF teams are working. The accused will be arrested soon,” Jhajjar SP Arpit Jain said.
How did the incident take place?
According to the police, three security personnel were also hit by multiple bullets in the attack that took place near the Barahi gate. The attackers had come in an i-10 vehicle. They fired multiple shots at Rathee's car, the police said.
All of the injured were admitted to Brahmashakti Sanjeevani Hospital in critical condition. Rathee succumbed to his injuries.
The police investigation into the matter is underway.
INLD leader Abhay Chautala said that Rathee and a party worker accompanying him were shot dead.
What did the police say?
Jhajjar SP Arpit Jain said that they are aware of four attackers and all of them will be arrested soon.
"Two DSPs 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 said.
INLD attacks govt
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.
"Had he been provided with security, such a situation would not have arisen," he said.
He also said that law and order has broken down in Haryana and today that has been proved yet again.
Opposition attacks govt
The opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party also hit out at the Manohar Lal Khattar government over the incident.
Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, "The news of INLD state president Nafe Singh Rathee being shot dead in Haryana is very sad. This reflects the law and order of the state...Today no one is feeling safe in the state."
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sushil Gupta said that "rule of law has ended in Haryana and jungle raj prevails".
"No one is safe in Haryana today," he added.
INLD blames Khattar govt for incident
INLD leader Abhay Chautala arrived at Brahma Shakti Sanjeevani Hospital where party chief Nafe Singh Rathee was brought dead, and held the Manohal Lal Khattar government responsible for the incident.
"The incident that has taken place today (death of party chief Nafe Singh Rathee), for this the state government is responsible. They are responsible because, six months ago, Nafe Singh told me, the police informed him that his life was in danger and he could be attacked anytime... He (Nafe Singh Rathee) wrote to the SP, CM, and DG that they must investigate this and provide him with security... Ex-MLAs also informed the CM, but no security was provided to him... Those who need the security are not getting it, instead, those who are accused in several cases are getting it... So I clearly hold the CM responsible for this incident... If someone is giving in writing that his life is under threat, then the CM should have conducted an investigation and provided him with security...," he said.
He also demanded a CBI investigation into the incident.
"We will demand that a CIB investigation should be done in this and the accused should be punished...The party will take strict action on this and force the government to conduct a CBI investigation into this... The government is trying to save itself by taking the name of the Lawrance gang, but if they are saying so then why they didn't provide any security..." he said.
Haryana Home Minister reacts
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij assured action on the matter and said that the perpetrators would not be forgiven.
"I have asked the officials to take immediate action in this matter. STF has also swung into action...The incident is being investigated," he said.
CM Khattar assures action
Chief Minister Khattar expressed condolences on the demise of the INLD chief and said that the culprits behind the incident will not be spared.
"Shocked by the sudden demise of INLD Party Haryana State President Shri Nafe Singh Rathi ji and Shri Jai Kishan. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family, we are with them in this difficult time. 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 posted on X.
(With PTI inputs)
