INLD Haryana chief murder: 2 'shooters' arrested from Goa
Two shooters, who allegedly shot Indian National Lok Dal Haryana chief Nafe Singh Rathee dead last month, were nabbed late on Sunday from a resort in Goa. The two men, Saurabh and Ashish, are suspected to be linked to Delhi's infamous gangster Kapil Sangwan, who is reportedly in the United Kingdom (UK) at present. The police said a search operation is still underway to catch two more shooters, Nakul and Atul.
Why does this story matter?
Rathee was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on February 25 in Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar district, Haryana. His SUV was ambushed by the attackers, who came in a Hyundai i10 and fired multiple shots near a railway crossing. A worker of the INLD, identified as Jaikishan, and another person traveling with Rathee were also killed in the shooting.
Police questioning suspects to track down shooters
On Saturday, the police announced a reward of Rs. 1 lakh for providing information about the accused involved in Rathee's murder. Last week, a murder case was filed against seven people. These included Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former legislator Naresh Kaushik and several relatives of Bahadurgarh Municipal Corporation Chairperson Saroj Rathi. The police said they are questioning the suspects and all those named in the FIR to ascertain the identity and possible hideouts of the other shooters.
Police verifying 'Sangwan's social media post'
A social media post uploaded allegedly by Sangwan, in which he claimed responsibility for the murder, is also being verified, the police said. In a purported Instagram post, the 32-year-old gangster announced that he killed Rathee due to his close friendship with his rival, gangster Manjeet Mahal. "This will be the outcome for anyone who joins hands with my enemy. If anybody supports my enemies, I will support their enemies," the post said.
Sangwan-Mahal feud
Sangwan is a native of Delhi's Najafgarh. He is wanted in 18 cases linked to crimes like murder, attempt to murder, extortion and robbery, and the Arms Act in Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Sangwan and Mahal have been part of a feud since 2015 when Mahal and his men allegedly killed Sangwan's brother-in-law Sunil alias "Doctor."
Opposition slams Haryana government over law and order situation
The assault on Rathee, just months before the Lok Sabha elections, sparked strong criticism from opposition parties, which claimed a collapse in law and order in the BJP-governed state. However, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar assured that "not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared." Khattar has directed the police to apprehend the suspects as quickly as possible and take the most severe action.
My father killed 'for politics': Rathee's son
Earlier, Rathee's son, Jitendra Singh Rathee, said that his father was killed "for politics." Separately, INLD leader Abhay Chautala said that Rathee had requested increased security due to threats to his life but did not receive any protection. Congress leaders, led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, also raised the issue in the Haryana Assembly, demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. In response, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said that the case will be referred to the central agency.
