INLD leader, party worker shot dead in Haryana

Nafe Singh Rathee, president of Indian National Lok Dal’s Haryana unit, and a party worker were killed in a fatal attack when unidentified assailants opened fire on

their SUV in Bahadurgarh, near Delhi, on Sunday. Three private gunmen hired by Rathee for security also suffered injuries in the attack.

Confirming the attack on Rathee, police said further investigation in the matter was underway.

Rathee, a former MLA from Bahadurgarh and aged around 70, was travelling in an SUV when the assailants, who were in a car, attacked him in the town in Jhajjar district.

After the attack, which came weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, Opposition parties erupted in outrage, criticizing the BJP-ruled state’s deteriorating law and order. They pointed to the lack of police security for Rathee despite known threats, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij.

Abhay Chautala, another INLD leader, condemned the attack and accused the government of failing to protect Rathee. He highlighted written requests for security made by Rathee due to threats, claiming that proper measures could have prevented the tragedy.

Opposition leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Congress) and Sushil Gupta (AAP) echoed Chautala’s concerns. They decried the breakdown of law and order in Haryana, alleging a complete absence of safety for citizens.