Kangra: Rakesh Chaudhary, who had contested the Dharamshala assembly constituency twice as an independent and once on a BJP ticket, tragically passed away on Tuesday after consuming a poisonous substance. The 48-year-old politician, a resident of Gram Panchayat Padhar, was rushed to Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital in Tanda in critical condition after swallowing the poison on Monday night.
His wife, who had intervened during the incident, also ingested the toxic substance and was admitted to the same hospital. She is said to be in stable condition, though her health was initially reported to be precarious. According to initial investigations, the couple consumed the poisonous substance on Monday night following a domestic dispute. When their health rapidly declined, family members took them to Tanda Hospital for immediate medical treatment. While Rakesh Chaudhary died on Tuesday evening, his wife is expected to recover.
Rakesh Chaudhary’s death has shocked his supporters and the local community. He had been an active political figure, contesting the 2022 elections under the BJP banner and previously as an independent candidate in the 2024 and 2019 assembly by-elections.
The Additional Superintendent of Police, Kangra, Bir Bahadur, confirmed the incident and stated that both Rakesh Chaudhary and his wife had consumed a poisonous substance. The police are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, focusing on the details surrounding the domestic dispute that led to this tragic event.
