'Sparing your life, inform family', INLD leader Rathee's killers told nephew

Chandigarh: The assailants who shot dead INLD's Haryana unit chief Nafe Singh Rathee in his SUV told his nephew, who was driving the vehicle, that they were sparing his life so that he could inform his family, according to an FIR.

Rathee and an INLD worker were killed when unidentified attackers sprayed their sports utility vehicle (SUV) with bullets on Sunday at Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district.

Five unidentified killers, who were following them in a car, came out and fired indiscriminately near the Barahi railway crossing, said Rakesh, Rathee's nephew, in his police complaint.

Complainant Rakesh told police that he was behind the wheel and Rathee was sitting next to him. On the rear seat, two persons, including the INLD worker killed in the incident, were sitting.

Rakesh said they were returning to Bahadurgarh on Sunday evening.

According to the FIR, Rakesh said he saw that a white coloured car was following their vehicle. When tried to speed up, he found the Barahi railway crossing shut and then stopped the vehicle.

Suddenly, five assailants came out of the car and shouted that teach them a lesson for enmity with Satish, Karambir Rathee, Ramesh Rathee and Naresh Kaushik and they fired indiscriminately at them, alleged Rakesh in his complaint.

One of the assailants came to driver's window and told Rakesh that he was sparing his (Rakesh's) life so he could inform his family that if they go to the court against Naresh Kaushik, Karambir Rathee, Ramesh Rathee, Satish Rathee, Gaurav Rathee, Rahul and Kamal then would kill the whole family, according to the FIR.

The attack, which came with less than two months to go for the Lok Sabha polls, drew sharp reactions from the opposition parties in the BJP-ruled state.

Twelve people, including former BJP MLA Naresh Kaushik, were booked on Monday in connection with Rathee's killing.

Besides Kaushik, police named Karambir Rathee, Ramesh Rathee, Satish Rathee, Gaurav Rathee, Rahul and Kamal in the FIR. Five unnamed people have also been booked in this case.

The case has been registered under various sections, including section 302 (murder), of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, a CCTV footage surfaced on social media purportedly showing movement of the assailants in a car before the INLD leader was targeted.

Jhajjar Superintendent of Police Arpit Jain said some suspects were being questioned in connection with this case.

Whosoever found to be involved, action will be taken as per law, he told reporters.

He said multiple teams of police were working on cracking the murder case.

Earlier, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij told the state Assembly that a CBI probe will be announced in connection with the killing of Rathee.

Senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala has accused the BJP-JJP government of failing to provide security to Rathee, despite there being a threat to his life. He also demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the incident.