Top Political Assassinations

Being an important public figure may sometimes cause your life, especially if you are a political figure. Assassinations are encouraged by religious, political and military reasons but the end result is targeting and killing of a public figure. Here is the list of ten famous political leaders who were well- esteemed and were massacred, as listed by SmashingHits.

Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007), Pakistan:

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto occurred on December 27, 2007, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. She was shot dead after a political rally at Liaquat National Bagh and a suicide bomb was detonated immediately following the shooting. Bhutto had previously survived a similar attempt on her life that had killed at least 140 people, after her return from exile. After entering her bullet proof vehicle, Bhutto stood up through its sunroof to wave to the crowd when the massacre happened. She was critically wounded and was rushed to the local hospital, butdied within 30 minutes after she was brought to the hospital.

Aslan Maskhadov (1951-2005), Chechnya:

He was a leader of the Chechen separatist movement and the third President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. He was killed in Tolstoy-Yurt, a village in Northern Chechnya in March 2005. He was credited by many achievements like the Chechen victory in the First Chechen War which had allowed the establishment of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. He was elected President of Chechnya in January 1997.

Rafic Hariri (1944-2005), Lebanon:

Hariri was assassinated on February 14, 2005, when explosives of 1000 kg of TNTwere detonated as his motorcade drove past the Beirut capital. Rafic Hariri was the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and was again re-elected from 2000 till his resignation which was on October 24, 2004. His killing had led to a massive political change in Lebanon, including the Cedar Revolution and the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. It was suspected that the Syrian Government was linked to the assassination.  

King Faizal (1904-1975), Saudi Arabia:

King Faizal was the king of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. As a king, he is credited with rescuing country’s finances and implementing a policy of reforms and modernization. In 1975, he was assassinated by his nephew Faisal bin Musaid. The murder had occurred at a majilis, an event where the king or leader opens up his residence for the citizens to enter and formally request the king. Following the killing, Riyadh saw three days of mourning and government activities were at standstill.

Indira Gandhi (1917-1984), India:

Indira Gandhi, the 3^rd Prime Minister of India was assassinated on October 31, 1984. She was killed by two of her own Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star. After the shooting, both threw their weapons down and Beant Singh said “I have done what I had to do. You do what you want to do.” Immediately, soldiers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police killed Beant Singh and the other bodyguard was arrested by Gandhi’s bodyguards. After the killing, over the next four days about thousands of Sikhs were killed in retaliatory violence. Theassassination of Indira Gandhi had shaken the Indian politics for ever.

Rajiv Gandhi (1944-1991), India:

The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, the ex-Prime Minister of India, occurred as a result of suicide bombing in Tamil Nadu. The massacre had occurred when he reached a campaign rally in one of Tamil Nadu’s villages. He was about to deliver a speech when the assassin detonated a RDX explosive laden belt tucked below her dress. Gandhi and 14 others were killed in the explosion. The attack was blamed on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a terrorist organization in Sri Lanka.

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), United States of America:

He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 at the age of 39. He was an American activist and prominent Afro-American leader in the African-American civil rights movement. King had become a civil right activist early in his career. On April 4, 1968, King was shot when he was standing on the motel’s second floor balcony. The bullet had entered through his right cheek, smashing his jaws. Theassassination had led to a nationwide wave of riots in more than 100 cities of America. The assassin was recognized as James Earl Ray, a fugitive from the Missouri State Penintentiary.

John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), United States of America:

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35^thPresident of the United States, wasassassinated on November 22, 1963. Kennedy was fatally shot when he was travelling in a Presidential motorcade. He was not only the second youngest president but the first and only Catholic and the first Irish-American President. The assassination of Kennedy proved to be an important event in the U.S. history because of its impact on the nation.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), India:

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, shot at a point-blank range by Nathuram Godse. He was surrounded by part of his family and some of his followers when three gunshots had killed him. Prior to his death, there had been five attempts to kill Gandhi, the first occurring in 1934. The assassination of Mahatma Gandhi came as a great shock to the entire nation. After the assassination, violent incidents had taken place in Godse’s hometown and in other parts of India as well. More than 6,000 Brahmins were set on fire during the violent clashes.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), United States of America:

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln took place on Good Friday, April 14, 1865.President Lincoln died from the gunshot wound at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. The assassination was planned and carried out by John Wilkes Booth, a well known stage actor. Lincoln was the first American president to be assassinated. His assassination had a long lasting impact in the country and his death was mourned throughout the country. There were attacks in many cities against those who had expressed support for Booth.