Haryana ex-minister looked on as sons opened fire, injured 8

Hodal: You don't have to go far from the national capital to witness wanton and violent abuse of political muscle. In Haryana's Hodal, about 90 km from Delhi, a Congressman and former Haryana minister Harsha Kumar looked on as his two sons allegedly opened fire at a group of people over a land dispute, injuring eight people, some of them critically, yesterday.

The Congressmen's sons, along with other supporters, then allegedly attacked the injured with swords and batons and are even alleged to have followed them to hospital to try and beat them up some more.

The eight injured have been admitted to Fortis Escort hospital in Faridabad.

The dispute was over a plot of land in Hodal, police said. Suresh, the brother of one of those injured, alleged that the former minister accompanied his sons and supporters when they arrived at the spot and began firing.

The police have registered a case against 14 people, including the politician's sons.

Harsha Kumar was the irrigation minister of Haryana when he was a member of Bansi Lal's Haryana Vikas Party, which later merged with the Congress. Harsha Kumar contested elections from the Hatheen Assembly seat in 2009 and lost.