Date:24/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/24/stories/2008062460230700.htm

National

Municipal chief shot dead

Special Correspondent

Unidentified motorcyclists in Bhiwani fire six bullets at him

Bhiwani Municipal Chairman was in his official car
The incident sends shock waves in the Haryana town

CHANDIGARH: The brutal murder of local Municipal Council Chairman Nand Lal Chawla on Monday has sent shock waves in Bhiwani in Haryana.

According to reports received at the State headquarters here, Mr. Chawla was shot dead by two unidentified motorcyclists while he was alone in the office car just in front of Bhiwani Textile Mills.

Senior district police officers said that according to preliminary investigations, six bullets were fired at him of which four hit him while the remaining two struck the car’s body. He was rushed to hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Haryana Tourism Minister Kiran Choudhry, who belongs to Bhiwani, expressed shock and grief over the murder. She condoled the bereaved family members and assured them of all possible help. She also directed the district police authorities to promptly nab the killers.

None safe: Chautala

Reacting to the murder of Mr. Chawla, former Chief Minister and Indian National Lok Dal chief Om Prakash Chautala said no one was feeling safe and the people had lost faith in the State Government and its law and order machinery.

He alleged that the people of Haryana were “suffering due to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s inexperience, incompetence and inept handling of the law and order situation”.

He charged that not a single day passed without reports of murders, police atrocities, rapes, abductions, robberies in some part of the State. The morale of the police force was at an all time low, he charged.

He said that it was shocking that the State Government had failed to initiate action against senior police officers against whom corruption-related allegations had surfaced.