Punjab to hand over Gosain murder probe to NIA

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 19

The Punjab Government has decided to hand over the case of murder of Ludhiana RSS leader Ravinder Gosain to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh issued the orders here on Thursday.

The Chief Minister also announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the family and a government job, commensurate with the educational qualifications, for one of the four children of the murder victim. Gosain had lost his wife to cancer some years ago and is survived by four children.

Orders for handing over the case to the NIA were issued by Capt Amarinder Singh on a request by an RSS delegation that met him at his residence today.

The Chief Minister acceded to the RSS request, taking into account the “international ramifications of the case”, according to an official spokesperson. Investigations so far in similar incidents in the past suggest that the handlers of the assailants were operating from foreign soil, said the spokesperson, adding that Capt Amarinder Singh felt that with the NIA stepping in, it would lead  to better coordination between Central agencies and the Punjab police.

Sharing the delegation’s concern over the brazen killing of Ravinder Gosain, Capt Amarinder Singh strongly condemned the act, saying there was no place for such violence in the state. Asserting that his government would not tolerate such lawlessness, the Chief Minister said it was taking all measures to prevent such targeted killings.

Capt Amarinder Singh assured the delegation that the state police was working hard to solve all similar previous cases, and he had personally issued directions for expediting the investigations. “No effort would be spared to nab the culprits and bring them to book in any of the targeted killings, which were clearly aimed at destabilising the state and destroying its peace,” the Chief Minister said.