The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken up probe into the murder of Comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu of Punjab. Sandhu was a Shaurya Chakra awardee and he 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, Punjab.
After committing the murder, the assailants had immediately escaped on a motorcycle. A case FIR No: 174 /20 dated October 16, 2020 was filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections relating to murder and common intention besides provisions of the Arms Act in connection with Sandhu’s murder on the statement of the wife of the deceased, Jagdish Kaur.
“During the peak of terrorism in Punjab, Comrade Balwinder Singh and his family had fearlessly fought terrorists. For this fearless fight, the Government of India, awarded him “Shaurya Chakra” in 1993. Besides Balwinder Singh Sandhu and his wife Jagdish Kaur, his elder brother Ranjit Singh and his wife Balraj Kaur had also received the Shaurya Chakra,” the NIA said in a statement.
During the initial investigation by Punjab Police, it was revealed that the killing was executed under a conspiracy hatched by Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorist Lakvir Singh Rode and his handlers in Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, it said.The killing of Comrade Balwinder Singh was executed through Sukhmeet Pal Singh alias Sukh Bhikariwal of village Bhikariwal, Kalanaur, Gurdaspur, a gangster- turned-terrorist, it further said.
“Considering the gravity of the offence and its inter-state and international ramifications, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government directed NIA to take up the investigation of the case. In compliance of these directions, NIA has re-registered the case and has taken up the investigation,” it added.