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BSP state secretary succumbs to bullet wounds
The incident happened around 7 pm on Friday, when the leader was sitting in a car with his friends Puneet Dang and Gugal Pandit in front of Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia Park, when some miscreants reportedly arrived in a car and started firing indiscriminately.
A day after three men including BSP state secretary were injured in firing at Ambala’s Naraingarh, police on Saturday said that the leader succumbed to his injuries during treatment at a hospital in Chandigarh.
The BSP leader identified as Harbilas Singh Rajjumajra, had also contested the 2024 assembly elections from Naraingarh constituency, also the hometown of chief minister Nayab Singh Saini.
As INLD-BSP’s joint nominee, Singh had polled nearly 28,000 votes and stood third from the seat that was wrested by the Congress.
The incident happened around 7 pm on Friday, when the leader was sitting in a car with his friends Puneet Dang and Gugal Pandit in front of Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia Park, when some miscreants reportedly arrived in a car and started firing indiscriminately.
Witnesses said that Pandit had a narrow escape and was seen getting out of the car when the other two rushed towards the market to save their lives. Singh was surrounded, and multiple shots were fired at him.
Cops from Naraingarh police station rushed to the spot and took the injured persons to the local civil hospital, from where they were referred for treatment to PGIMER Chandigarh.
Ambala SP Surinder Singh Bhoria also reached the crime spot and instructed the police teams to trace the miscreants at the earliest.
Bhoria said that Singh succumbed to his injuries during treatment at the hospital, while Dang was undergoing treatment in a stable condition and Pandit returned home with minor wounds.
Supporters block highway
Supporters of the BSP leader were agitated over the firing and several of them had gathered at civil hospital on Friday.
However, as the news broke about his death, the party workers along with farmer unions and social groups staged a protest in the town, demanding the arrest of those involved.
They blocked Ambala-Dehradun highway for over three hours in the presence of BSP state president Dharampal Tingra and BKU (Charuni) Ambala president Malkit Singh.
Several senior officials including SP Bhoria and Naraingarh DSP Suraj Chawla reached the spot to persuade the protesters to lift the blockade. After an open meeting with the SP, the road blockade was lifted.
Lawrence Bishnoi aide prime accused
The relatives and supporters of Singh apprised the SP about the involvement of 25-year-old gangster Vainkat Garg, an aide of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and regular threats to the people. Bhoria also informed them about a reward of ₹2 lakh announced for any information related to the case.
Garg, a native of Naraingarh, has been involved in several firing incidents in Chandigarh, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Panchkula and other areas of the region.
Later, DSP Chawla told the reporters that based on a complaint by the family, a case was registered against eight men including Garg.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, SP said that Garg is a prime accused in the case, and they have “rounded up” five of the eight men, who are being questioned.
“As many as 12 police teams from Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Karnal are behind the assailants. Separately, Special Task Force (STF) is also on the task. Any person who shares information about the unknown suspects in the case will be rewarded,” he added.
Opposition hits at BJP
In view of the incident, opposition parties cornered Nayab Saini-led BJP government over the law and order.
In a statement, INLD national general secretary Abhay Chautala said, “This kind of firing and brutal killing of a political person in the chief minister’s hometown shows that somewhere in the state, murderers and criminals are getting protection from the government. This is the reason that criminals are fearlessly committing crimes like murder, loot and robbery.”
Similarly, Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala hit out at the ruling government and said, “BJP’s rule has now turned into crime rule”
“Haryana’s BJP government talks about law and order of the whole state, but reality is that even the hometown of CM Nayab Saini is not safe... Law and order from CM’s hometown is absconding,” Surjewala wrote on X.
