Surjewala, Tanwar, Hooda condemn killing of Cong leader

Congress leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Ashok Tanwar have strongly condemned the killing of party leader Vikas Chaudhary in Faridabad on Thursday and blamed the BJP government in Haryana for the "deteriorating law-and-order situation".

Haryana Congress leader Vikas Chaudhary was shot dead in broad daylight by unknown assailants on Thursday, police said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi condemned the killing and said it reflects the "deteriorating law-and-order situation" in the state. The killing also evoked a sharp reaction from the party's senior leaders in Haryana, who claimed that 'jungle raj' prevailed in the state.

"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."

State Congress chief Ashok Tanwar condemned the killing and alleged that 'jungle raj' prevails in Haryana.

Chaudhary, a spokesperson of the state Congress, was parking his car outside a gym in sector nine in Faridabad when the assailants fired 12-15 bullets at the vehicle from two sides, killing him on the spot, ACP Jaiveer Singh Rathi said.

Upon hearing the noise, people rushed to the site and Chaudhary was taken to Sarvodaya hospital where he was declared brought dead, he said.