Logo

Logo

# India

Rocket launcher attack: NIA likely to visit Tarn Taran

A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to visit Punjab’s Tarn Taran Sarhali Police Station which was hit by a probable rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), officials said on Saturday.

IANS | New Delhi | December 10, 2022 12:18 pm

Rocket launcher attack: NIA likely to visit Tarn Taran

Punjab police station hit by rocket launcher (IANS Photo)

A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to visit Punjab’s Tarn Taran Sarhali Police Station which was hit by a probable rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), officials said on Saturday.

Eight persons, including Station Head Official (SHO), were present at the police station at the time of the attack late on Friday night.

Advertisement

However, no injuries were reported in the incident. The ammunition was powerful but it rebounded after hitting the wall of the police station.

Advertisement

The police station wall, mirrors of the doors of the ‘sanjh kendra’ and a door scroll were damaged in the incident.

The Sarhali police station is situated on the Amritsar-Bathinda Highway. As of now, the police have not identified the attackers.

Besides a team of forensic experts, DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav himself reached the spot and spoke to senior police officials.

The team recovered the rocket launcher from the police station and a part of it from the highway.

As per experts, the attackers might have been in a car and fled soon after launching the rocket.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann while speaking at a press event said that the law and order situation in Punjab is under control.

“Gangsters didn’t rise in my era; they were here already. But we are controlling them. We are upgrading our police system,” he said.

Notably, this is the second attack with a rocket launcher in the state. On May 8, Punjab Police Intelligence’s headquarters was attacked in a similar manner.

Advertisement

Related posts

# India

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010. A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice P V Balakrishnan suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail to him after considering his appeal against the NIA court’s conviction in the case Considering the prolonged detention and citing the potential for trial delays, the court suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail, taking into account that some co-accused with similar allegations had already been released after serving shorter terms. The court noted that he had already spent nine years in jail and that delays in resolving appeals could justify suspending a convict’s prison term. It also observed that other accused in the case had received lesser sentences and had already been released after serving their terms. “The applicant has been undergoing incarceration, at the pre-conviction and post-conviction phases, for over 9 years. Furthermore, the fact that the accused facing the same allegations were earlier imposed a lesser term of imprisonment and have been released after having undergone the sentence is a factor that cannot be ignored. Additionally, the appeals filed by the NIA against the findings of the learned Sessions Judge are being considered in separate appeals, which have not yet been taken up. “There is also the likelihood of delay, as the prime accused has surrendered, and the learned Sessions Judge may have to take up the trial and dispose of it in accordance with the law and some of the original records may be required for that purpose. In view of these facts and circumstances, we are of the considered opinion that the sentence imposed on the applicant can be suspended pending the consideration of the appeal.” The court said The court, however, imposed strict conditions for Nasar’s bail. He is not supposed to provide a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties, refrain from leaving the country without the court’s permission, avoid interfering with the trial or witnesses, and not commit similar offences while on bail The gruesome incident dates back to July 4, 2010, when Joseph, a professor at Newman College, Thodupuzha, was returning from Sunday mass with his family, members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) attacked him, allegedly in retaliation for a question paper he set, which contained a passage that they claimed insulted Prophet Mohammed was derogatory. His right hand was chopped off in this attack. Nasar was accused of playing a critical role in the attack. Investigations revealed his involvement in recruiting gang members, assigning specific tasks, collecting funds, procuring communication devices, and maintaining communication links with key conspirators.

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010.