Fri Dec 20 13:11:03 UTC 2024: **Veteran Haryana Leader and Former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala Passes Away at 89**

GURUGRAM, INDIA – Om Prakash Chautala, a prominent figure in Haryana politics and former Chief Minister of the state, passed away this morning at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. He was 89. Chautala, who had been unwell for the past week and discharged from Medicity Hospital two days prior, was rushed to the hospital after his condition deteriorated.

Chautala, a leader of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), served as Haryana’s Chief Minister on four separate occasions. He was the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal and held considerable influence in the state’s political landscape. His sons, Abhay Singh Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala, are also active in politics, as is his grandson, Dushyant Chautala, who previously served as Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana.

Chautala’s political career was marked by both significant achievements and controversy. In 2013, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a teacher recruitment scam, a conviction upheld by higher courts. He was released from Tihar Jail in July 2021 due to a government initiative to reduce prison overcrowding amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, expressed his condolences, stating the loss was an irreparable one for the state and the nation. Chautala’s last rites will be performed in his native village, Teja Khed in Dabwali.

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