NIA to probe seven targeted killings in Pb

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has decided to hand over the investigations of all the seven cases of targeted killings to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). An official spokesperson of the state government said this was being done in view of the possible national and international ramifications of the conspiracy behind the killings in the state.

The decision to transfer the cases was taken after an NIA team, led by its director Y C Modi, held discussions with officials of Punjab Police on Monday. The two teams felt that the central agency was better equipped to undertake further investigations into the cases. With handlers, conspirators and financers in all these targeted killing cases operating from countries such as UK, Canada and Italy, the investigations needed to be more broad-based, the two teams agreed.

It had also been found that the interstate, as well as, international perpetrators/handlers/actors and militant angle involved in the criminal conspiracy, to disturb peace and communal harmony in the border state of Punjab by selectively targeting leaders of certain groups, were the same.

The spokesperson said the move was aimed at ensuring that the foreign-based networks conspiring against Punjab were dismantled and action taken against foreign handlers (both organizations and individuals) through cooperation with the the Union foreign ministry, Interpol, Europol, and foreign governments.