Chandigarh: A day after the body of Congress worker Himani Narwal, 29, was found stuffed in a suitcase near a bus stand in Sampla town of Rohtak district, the Haryana police on Sunday formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the sensational murder case.

Even as the Congress leaders tore into the ruling BJP government lashing out at it for what they termed as collapse of law and order situation in the state, Himani’s family members refused to receive her body for cremation until the killers were caught.

According to media reports, Himani lived alone in Rohtak while her mother, Savita, lived in Delhi with Himani’s younger brother Jatin. Himani was an active worker of Congress for the past 10 years and had also participated in ``Bharat Jodo Yatra’’ led by Rahul Gandhi.

According to family members, while Jatin’s elder brother Kuldeep was murdered in 2011, their father had also passed away a few years later. They held that the growing popularity of Himani could have been a reason behind her murder.

Savita also told newspersons that Himani who last spoke to her on February 27 had said that she was supposed to attend a rally of senior leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda a day later. However, Himani’s phone was found to be switched off when she called her next day, she said.

A native of district Sonepat’s Kathura village, Himani who was actively involved in political activities including that of Congress Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda and was also known for performing with Haryanvi folk artistes at party rallies.

HOODA ASSAILS BJP GOVT

Meanwhile, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who spoke to the Rohtak superintendent of police regarding the murder case and also spoke to the victim’s family offering his condolences, said the increasing crime remains a matter of serious concern and questions are being raised on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.