Chandigarh, Feb 25 : The Indian National Lok Dal's Haryana unit President and former legislator Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead in an attack by unidentified assailants in the state's Jhajjar district on Sunday, police said.

Rathi served as an MLA of the INLD from Bahadurgarh where the crime took place in the evening. Two others who were travelling with him have died while two others are critically injured.

One of the party activist who died has been identified as Jaikishan.

The injured were rushed to nearby Brahm Shakti Sanjivani Hospital for treatment but the former MLA was declared dead on arrival.

INLD spokesperson Rakesh Sihag said that Rathee, a two-time legislator, died after unidentified assailants opened fire at him while he was travelling in an SUV in Bahadurgarh town.

The assailants were in a car, a police official said.

The cause of the crime is yet to be ascertained, the official said, adding 'property dispute seems the motive behind the crime".

Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close associate Kala Jathedi are suspected to be behind the attack.

Jhajjar Superintendent of Police, Arpit Jain, told the media Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and STF teams have begun investigating into the case.

INLD leader Abhay Chautala blamed the BJP-JJP government of failing to provide Rathee with security despite there being threat to his life. He demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij over the crime.

Two-time Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda said Rathee's shooting reflected the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

/IANS