Top 10 Famous Politicians who were Assassinated
Leaders stand out from among the common masses, due to their extraordinary abilities and charisma. Politicians are public figures with their own sets of beliefs and philosophies, and some of them spend a lifetime fighting for a cause. They make many friends along the way, who believe in what they stand for; however, they also make many bitter enemies. At times, this animosity can grow so deep that assassination attempts are made on the particular leader or politician in question.
In recent history, the world has lost many political leaders to such attempts; these gruesome assassinations have received much attention, and even led to the spawning of several conspiracy theories. If a famous politician is assassinated, it raises a lot of concern and panic among his/her followers, and the assassination goes down in history as a major event.
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1
Martin Luther King Jr
King was a champion of black minority rights and at the helm of the civil rights movement. He was shot in 1968, at the young age of 39. King was assassinated by a white man who disagreed with his promotion of the concept of racial equality.
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2
Mahatma Gandhi
A famous Indian politician who believed in non-violent protests, Gandhi played a great part in the Indian independence in 1947. In 1948, Gandhi was shot down by a Hindu nationalist while on his way to address a prayer congregation. The assassin disagreed with Gandhi’s demands from the Indian government to grant Pakistan its fair share of payments after independence.
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3
John F. Kennedy
This United States president was a very popular and beloved one. He was shot in Dallas, Texas by an assassin named Lee Harvey Oswald. Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States and his achievements were compared to the likes of Abraham Lincoln.
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4
Malcolm X
Malcolm X was a famous Black American minister, a member of the radical group known as the Nation of Islam. He emerged as a controversial figure due to his radical views. He died at the age of 39 in 1965, shot 16 times by an assassin while giving a speech.
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5
Benazir Bhutto
A Pakistani politician, twice the Prime Minister and hailing from a politically strong background, Benazir emerged as a champion of democracy and women empowerment in the country. She was shot dead in 2007 after addressing a political rally, just before the elections.
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6
Franz Ferdinand
The Austrian heir to the throne, Franz Ferdinand was shot dead during a visit to Sarajevo in 1914 with his wife. His death was directly linked to the breakout of the First World War, when Austria waged war on Serbia two months later.
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7
Robert F.Kennedy
Robert was the brother of US president, John F. Kennedy, and a politician himself. He was shot dead in 1968 at the age of 42, by a Palestinian who hated the US support for Israel.
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8
Indira Gandhi
She was India's third Prime Minister, and was shot dead in 1984, by her own bodyguards who were Sikhs. Indira was targeted because of her hostility towards the Sikh population in the country.
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9
Abraham Lincoln
A famous and charismatic US president, Lincoln was shot dead by an assassin who disagreed with his support for African Americans. The assassin, Booth, shot Lincoln in 1865, at a theater where security was low.
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10
Liaquat Ali Khan
A prominent politician of the subcontinent, and the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Khan was shot dead while addressing a public gathering at a local park in 1951. The motives for the assassination are still unknown.
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