A Congress leader was hacked to death by two unknown assailants in the Ludhiana district of Punjab, officials said on Monday.
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The incident is the latest in a series of politically related violence in the state, which has seen a sharp surge in recent times.
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The deceased has been identified as Parminder Tiwari, Machhiwara Congress block president.
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Tiwari, who ran a rental quarter for migrant workers, was sitting outside his premises on Sunday evening when motorcycle-borne assailants attacked him with an axe.
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He suffered multiple blows to the head and was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, confirmed Station House Officer Paramdeep Singh of Kum Kalan police station.
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A case has been registered and investigations are underway to identify the accused. The motive behind the killing remains unclear.
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Reacting to the incident, the Congress party slammed the Punjab government, describing it as politically motivated violence against its workers.
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Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring expressed grief and anger, saying the incident reflects the worsening law and order situation under the ruling government.
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โDeeply shocked and saddened by the daylight murder of our Block President from Machhiwara Sahib, Parminder Tiwari ji. He was a hard-working and integral part of the @INCPunjab family,โ Warring said.
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He added that โPunjabโs law and order situation continues to deteriorateโ and criticised the administration for its inaction.
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Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa described the attack as a โcold-blooded assassinationโ and accused the government of failing to ensure public safety.
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He said Tiwari was a dedicated party worker who lost his life while the state โsits in shameful silence”.
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