Abhay Chautala’s big claim after Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee shot dead

Abhay Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal has claimed that the party’s Haryana unit president Nafe Singh Rathee, who was killed by unidentified assailants in Bahadurgarh near Delhi on Sunday, had earlier told him that his life was in danger.

Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker, identified as Jai Kishan, were killed when the assailants sprayed their SUV with bullets.

Abhay Chautala, who visited the hospital in Bahadurgarh where the bodies were kept, accused the Haryana government of failing to provide Nafe Singh Rathee with security despite there being a threat to his life, and demanded the resignation of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and home minister Anil Vij.

Speaking to reporters there, Abhay Chautala also demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

“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,” news agency PTI quoted Abhay Chautala as saying.

“Rathee had earlier told me six months ago that he was informed by some police personnel that he faced a life 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,” Abhay Chautala added.

Abhay Chautala said three private gunmen, whom Rathee had hired for security, also suffered injuries.

The 67-year-old INLD leader was travelling in an SUV when the assailants, who were in a car, attacked him in Bahadurgarh town in Jhajjar district. “A volley of bullets was sprayed at him,” Abhay Chautala said.

Doctors at the hospital said Rathee had suffered injuries in the neck, stomach, spine and thigh and suffered heavy blood loss. Rathee was elected MLA from the Bahadurgarh seat twice in 1996 and 2005.

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar reacts

Expressing shock over the incident, Manohar Lal Khattar said 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 said.

“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,” the chief minister posted in Hindi on X on Sunday night.

Jhajjar superintendent of police Arpit Jain told the media that teams of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) and the Special Task Force (STF) of the police were looking into the incident.

“Multiple teams are probing. We are investigating all angles and we will try to arrest the accused soon,” Arpit Jain said.