The Indian National Lok Dal’s State president and two-time former MLA Nafe Singh Rathee and his acquaintance were shot dead by unidentified assailants who fired at his SUV, or sports utility vehicle, in Bahadurgarh on Sunday. Two others travelling with the duo also sustained bullet injuries.
The assailants, reportedly travelling in a hatchback, ambushed the SUV and opened indiscriminate fire, causing multiple bullet injuries to Mr. Rathee and his three co-passengers in the vehicle on Barahi Road. Mr. Rathi, in the front passenger seat, was reportedly hit in the neck and the chest and declared brought dead at a private hospital in the city. One of his acquaintances also succumbed to his injuries during treatment, the police said.
Jhajjar Superintendent of Police Arpit Jain told media persons that the Crime Branch and Special Task Force teams were investigating the matter and that the accused would be arrested soon.
Had received threats
Mr. Rathee had been booked in a case in January 2023, accused of abetting the death by suicide of Jagdish, the son of former Haryana Minister Mange Ram. The INLD media co-ordinator Rakesh Singh told The Hindu that Mr. Rathi had been receiving threats by phone for many months and had written to the authorities more than once, seeking security.
INLD secretary general and the party’s lone MLA Abhay Singh Chautala said, in a post on X, that Mr. Rathee was a part of his family, adding that the cowardly attack on him had left the entire INLD family shocked. He accused the State government of playing politics and not granting him security. “Is the government not equally responsible for this attack?” he asked in his post.
Condemning the murder, former Haryana Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the incident was a reflection on the law and order situation in the State. He said the attack proved that the situation was very bad in Haryana, and no one felt safe.
