NIA probes killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Sandhu

The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday took over the probe in the murder case of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu, who was gunned down by two bike-borne men under a conspiracy by Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorists and Inter-Services Intelligence handlers, an official said.

Sandhu, 62, was shot dead by two unidentified men in the early hours of October 16, 2020 at the residence-cum-school run by him in Punjab's Tarn Taran district.

The assailants, after committing the murder, had immediately escaped on a motorcycle.

A case was registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act in police station Bhikhiwind on the statement of his wife Jagdish Kaur.

During the peak of terrorism in Punjab, Sandhu and his family had fearlessly fought terrorists.

For this fearless fight, Government of India awarded him 'Shaurya Chakra' in 1993.

Besides Sandhu and Kaur, his elder brother Ranjit Singh and his wife Balraj Kaur had also received the Shaurya Chakra.

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, according to an NIA spokesperson.

The killing was executed through Sukhmeet Pal Singh of Gurdaspur, a gangster turned terrorist, the official said.

Considering the gravity of the offence and its inter-state and international ramifications, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed the NIA to take up the investigation of the case, the spokesperson said.

In compliance of these directions, the NIA has re-registered the case and taken up the investigation.