NIA to probe Balwinder case

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 27

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) onWednesday day said it had taken over investigation into the killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu in Punjab’s Taran Taran district on October 16, 2020.

According to NIA officials, Sandhu was shot dead by two unidentified men in the early hours of October 16, 2020, at the residence-cum-school run by him in Bhikiwind, Tarn Taran.

Move after MHA directions

Considering the gravity of the offence and its inter-state and global ramifications, the MHA directed the NIA to take up the probe into the case. In compliance with these directions, the NIA has re-registered the case and taken up the probe. — NIA

After committing the murder, the assailants had immediately escaped on a motorcycle, they said.

A case was registered by the Punjab Police under various sections of the IPC and Arms Act on the statement given by wife of the deceased Jagdish Kaur, they added.

“During the peak of terrorism in Punjab, Balwinder Singh and his family had fearlessly fought terrorists. For this fearless fight, the Government of India awarded him the Shaurya Chakra in 1993. Besides Balwinder Singh and his wife Jagdish Kaur, his elder brother Ranjit Singh and his wife Balraj Kaur had also received the Shaurya Chakra,” a senior NIA official said.

During the initial investigation by the Punjab Police, it was revealed that the killing was executed under a conspiracy hatched by Pakistan-based terrorist LakvirSingh Rode and his handlers in Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, the officials said, adding that the killing was executed through Sukhmeet Pal Singh, alias Sukh Bhikariwal, of Bhikariwal village, Kalanaur, Gurdaspur, a gangster-turned-terrorist.

“Considering the gravity of the offence and its inter-state and international ramifications, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed the NIA to take up the investigation into the case. In compliance with these directions, the NIA has re-registered the case and taken up the investigation,” the anti-terror probe agency said in an official statement.