NIA registers cases against suspected Khalistani terrorist

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), on Friday, registered two cases against Canada-based, suspected Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, one in connection with the 2016 terrorist attack in Punjab and second for conspiring to attack alleged right-wing leaders in India.

Initial probes were conducted by the Punjab Police in the cases, who had also filed an FIR in 2016, however, the cases were eventually handed over to the NIA as it was a broader case of Khalistani terror activities in the state.

According to media reports, Nijjar is a known terror mastermind and an accused in the 2007 blast that killed six and injured 42 in the city of Ludhiana in Punjab. There have also been concerns that western countries, especially Canada, could be sheltering Khalistani terrorists.

That Nijjar was briefly taken into custody by Canadian authorities in April but was released without any charges within a day did not help those concerns at all.

A Look Out Circular (LOC) and a Red Corner Notice (RCN) were also lodged against the Nijjar in 2015 and 2016.