"Law and order has completely collapsed in Uttarakhand," Congress leader blames BJP

Rahul Gandhi. File Pic

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday attacked the BJP government in Uttarakhand after a retired Army brigadier was killed allegedly in crossfire between two groups, saying law and order in the state has "completely collapsed".

The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said that under the "irresponsible" leadership of the BJP, Uttarakhand is living under the shadow of violence, murder and fear. "The brutal, broad-daylight murder of Retired Brigadier V.K. Joshi who had stepped out for a morning walk in Dehradun -- clearly demonstrates that law and order in Uttarakhand has completely collapsed," Gandhi said in his post in Hindi on X.

"Those who dedicated their lives to defending the nation at the borders are today unsafe within their own city; ordinary citizens and various communities are forced to live in fear," he said.

Under BJP rule, only criminals remain fearless and secure, Gandhi alleged. "Our Uttarakhand once synonymous with peace and security is under the irresponsible leadership of the BJP, living under the shadow of violence, murder and fear," the former Congress chief said.

Joshi was shot on Monday during the crossfire between two groups following a dispute over a bill at a nightclub, police said. Four people, including a nightclub owner, have been arrested in connection with the incident that took place in Johri village on Mussoorie Road in the Rajpur area, they said.

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