Nafe Singh Rathee, the president of Haryana’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), was tragically shot and killed in a daytime attack in Jhajjar district. The incident involved unidentified gunmen in a Hyundai i20 who opened fire on Rathee’s SUV and quickly fled the scene. Despite efforts to rush him to the hospital, Rathee succumbed to his injuries from multiple gunshot wounds. The police are looking into the potential involvement of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in the murder.
Rathee, a prominent Jat leader and former MLA, had a varied political career, briefly joining the BJP in 2014 before returning to the INLD in 2018. He also served as the chairman of Bahadurgarh Municipal Council. However, he faced legal troubles when he was accused in a suicide case last year, where he was booked for abetment to suicide in the death of Jagdish Rathee, son of former BJP minister Mange Ram Rathee.
In addition to his political involvement, Rathee was known in the sporting world, having served as the president of the Indian-style Wrestling Association of India and representing India in Ethnosports in Turkey shortly before his death. During the attack, Rathee was accompanied by three private security guards, who also sustained injuries in the assault. The attackers, believed to be associated with gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Kala Jathedi, targeted Rathee’s vehicle near Barahi railway crossing in Bhahadurgarh. It is suspected that the attack may have been motivated by property disputes.
Overall, the shocking incident of Nafe Singh Rathee’s murder has left many in Haryana shocked and saddened. His diverse political career, legal troubles, and involvement in the sporting world paint a complex portrait of a man whose life was tragically cut short in an act of violence. The police investigation into the murder, particularly regarding the potential involvement of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, remains ongoing as authorities work to bring those responsible to justice.