The Punjab government has told the Centre that its police force is competent to carry out a probe into the Gurdaspur terror attack, that took place on July 27, and does not consent to the case being handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Punjab government conveyed its stand in a communication to the Union Home Ministry, sources said. This was after the Home Ministry had written to the state government seeking its opinion on handing the case over to the NIA, as it is a specialised anti-terror probe agency. Home Ministry sources had earlier said that while the Centre has the powers under the NIA Act to suo motu hand the case over to the NIA, “it is preferable that the state government consent is secured first”.
