Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said he has asked the CBI to nab Punjab Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) vice-president attackers soon.
Rajnath was in Jalandhar to pay tributes to the RSS leader, who succumbed to the bullet injuries on September 22 He was shot by two unidentified bike-borne assailants in a busy market on August 6.
“I’ve told the CBI to identify the culprits and put them behind bars at the earliest,” said the home minister while expressing satisfaction over the inputs provided by the Punjab government in the case.
On foreign hand (as stated by deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal) in the attack, Rajnath said nothing can be said at this stage. “Any comment on this issue can be made only after the probe is complete,” he added.
Asked if the Centre had any information on “foreign forces” planning to disturb the communal harmony in Punjab, the home minister said all inputs are shared with state governments from time to time. “About Punjab, you all know that it’s a border state and our neighbour keeps on trying to disturb peace here,” he said.
Sukhbir, in his speech, asked people to give a strong reply to anti-national forces.
RSS leaders, who also offered tributes to Gagneja, said such attacks won’t deter the Sangh which will continue to work for the welfare of the people.
Central probe team camping in Jalandhar
With pressure mounting from the Sangh Parivar on the Centre and the Punjab government to nab RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja’s assilants, the CBI has set up a camp office in the city.
A full- fledged team of the central probe agency is working overtime to crack the case. The sewerage board guest house near Manbro Chowk has been taken over by CBI sleuths, who are being assisted by Punjab Police officials. The CBI team camping in the city is led by additional SP Davinder Singh. The team has so far visited the crime scene near Jyoti Chowk. It is also scrutinising the CCTV footage of the alleged bike-borne assailants.
The CBI has also sought details of loss or theft of 9mm cartridges bearing head stamp no “O.K.95 2Z 9mm” in the district between August 1, 2015 to August 6, 2016. Source said 9 mm cartridges (found near the crime scene) are used only by police personnel or the army and its private used is completely banned.
“The CBI wants to know if the cartridges used in the attack were from the stolen or the used stock of the cartridges with Punjab Police,” said a senior cop.
