INLD Haryana unit chief's killing: Police verifying social media post claiming responsibility
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana Police on Thursday said they are verifying a post on social media, purportedly by UK-based gangster Kapil Sangwan, claiming responsibility for the killing of Indian National Lok Dal's state unit chief Nafe Singh Rathee.
Rathee and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) worker Jai Kishan were killed when unidentified assailants sprayed their vehicle with bullets in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh on Sunday. The attack, which came ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, drew sharp reactions from the opposition parties in the BJP-ruled state.
Jhajjar police said they are verifying the social media post, purportedly by Sangwan, claiming responsibility for the killing. The post also claimed that Rathee had a close friendship with Sangwan's rival gangster.
"We are verifying the post and claims made therein," a Jhajjar police official said, adding that so far 15 people have been booked in the murder case.
Police named former BJP MLA Naresh Kaushik and others in the FIR registered on Monday. It also mentioned five unnamed accused. The case was registered under various IPC sections, including 302 (murder), and the Arms Act.
In his police complaint, Nafe Singh Rathee's nephew Rakesh said five unidentified killers, who were following them in a car, came out and fired indiscriminately near the Barahi railway crossing.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Monday said the probe into the killing of the INLD's state unit chief will be handed over to the CBI.
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.
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Voting underway for local body elections in Gujarat
Ahmedabad (PTI): Voting got underway on Sunday morning for elections to several local bodies in Gujarat, including 15 municipal corporations and 84 municipalities.
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, as per the schedule announced by the State Election Commission.
The elections are being held for 15 municipal corporations, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats, making it one of the largest electoral exercises in the state.
A total of 9,992 candidates are in the fray, with more than 4.18 crore voters eligible to exercise their franchise.
A three-tier security is in place, aided by CCTV surveillance and deployment of special squads in sensitive areas, police officials said.
The polls are being conducted under revised norms for Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations, and required extensive delimitation and restructuring of wards in several districts.
The ruling BJP, Opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have emerged as the key players, while All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is also contesting in several places.
Among notable candidates are former Gujarat-cadre IPS officer M L Ninama, ex-radio jockey Abha Desai, and former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani.
Ninama is contesting from the Odh seat in Shamlaji taluka for the Arvalli district panchayat elections, while the BJP has nominated Bhayani from the Bhesan seat of the Junagadh district panchayat.
Desai, popularly known as RJ Abha, is contesting as a Congress candidate from ward number 10 of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation.
Elections are also being held for the first time in nine newly-created municipal corporations, including Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar and Surendranagar.
Counting of votes will take place on April 28.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel campaigned extensively for the BJP.
The AAP had taken the lead over other parties in launching the campaign, with its national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addressing several rallies across Gujarat.
In a first for AAP, the Kejriwal-led party is contesting around 5,000 seats in local polls.
Other contestants include the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Independents.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi campaigned in the final phase, addressing public meetings in Ahmedabad and Bhuj.
In March 2021, the BJP scored a landslide win in the local polls in Gujarat, winning 6,236 out of 8,470 seats across various municipalities and establishing a wide gap with rival Congress.
The BJP had then dominated all six municipal corporations, besides 81 municipalities, 32 district panchayats, and 231 taluka panchayats.
