CHANDIGARH, July 16: Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Abhay Chautala has received a death threat from an unidentified individual, prompting his family to approach the Chandigarh Police with a formal complaint, alleging a fresh attempt to intimidate the senior political leader.
Abhay’s son, Karan Chautala, told reporters on Wednesday that he received a WhatsApp call from an unknown foreign number late Tuesday night around 11 p.m. The call was abruptly disconnected, but was soon followed by a disturbing voice message.
“The voice note used abusive language against my father,” Karan said. “The sender warned me to make my father understand that he should stay out of their way—or else he would meet the same end as the ‘pradhan’.” The message referred to Nafe Singh Rathee, INLD’s Haryana unit president, who was shot dead in Bahadurgarh in February this year. The assailants in that case remain unidentified and at large.
Karan also revealed that a similar threatening message was sent from the same number to Abhay Chautala’s private secretary, declaring it a “final warning.”
In his complaint, Karan pointed out that this was not the first such threat. “My father had received a similar message in July 2023. A case was registered by the Haryana Police, and he was subsequently given Y-category security,” he said.
Highlighting the political context, Karan said his father has consistently taken bold positions on contentious issues, including rising drug abuse and the worsening law-and-order situation in Haryana. “We’ve never stayed silent on issues affecting the state. This isn’t just a threat—it’s an attempt to silence our voice,” he asserted.
Karan has appealed to the police to act swiftly, citing serious apprehensions about the safety of his father and family. “We fear for our lives,” he said. “After what happened to our party president, we cannot take this lightly.”
Chandigarh Police have acknowledged receipt of the complaint and said the matter is under investigation.
