'Jungle Raj in Haryana': Cong Slams BJP Govt after Spokesperson Vikas Chaudhary Killed in Faridabad

New Delhi: Haryana Congress spokesperson Vikas Chaudhary was shot dead by unknown assailants in Faridabad on Thursday morning when he was on his way back from a gym.

Chaudhary was hit by over 10 bullets and CCTV footage of the incident showed masked men raining shots on his car. The Congress leader was rushed to a hospital but he succumbed to his injuries.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi condemned the killing and said it reflects the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state. He prayed for peace of the departed soul.

"The killing of Congress spokesperson and leader Vikas Chaudhary in Faridabad is a condemnable, shameful and tragic incident. It reflects the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Haryana. May Chaudhary's soul rest in peace and may God provide his family the strength to bear this loss," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

Hitting out at the state government, Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar said, "It's 'jungle raj', there is no fear of law. Same kind of incident happened yesterday, where a woman who opposed molestation was stabbed. There should be an investigation."

Congress leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Randeep Singh Surjewala blamed the BJP government in Haryana for the "deteriorating law-and-order situation".

"Law and order in Haryana has crumbled. Criminals are roaming freely and the common man is not feeling safe," Hooda said.

Surjewala, an MLA from Kaithal, alleged that "under BJP's rule, the state has become a hub of 'goonda raj' and organised crime".

"Law-and-order situation is in shambles. Criminals are calling the shots. For this situation, Khattar government is to be blamed," he tweeted and demanded an independent inquiry into the killing.

In another tweet in Hindi, Surjewala wrote, "In Haryana, every day, three murders, five rapes and 10 kidnappings take place."

Reacting to the murder, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar later on Thursday said he has received information about the incident, news agency ANI reported. "Police are conducting an investigation, they will give more information on it," he added.

'Chaudhary had a criminal background'

Meanwhile, ADGP Navdeep Singh Virk said the murder appears to be connected with Chaudhary's own criminal background.

"As per the leads so far, Chaudhary had a criminal background and 13 FIRs of extortion, kidnapping, attempt to murder were registered against him since 2007 in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

His murder appears to be connected to his own criminal background," the Additional DGP (Law and Order), Haryana, said in a tweet.

Virk said seven police teams have been deployed to solve the case and the Faridabad Police is confident that it would solve the case soon. "Commissioner of Police Faridabad is personally supervising the investigation," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)