Taliban deny involvement in killing of Indian author

The Taliban Friday denied shooting dead Indian writer Sushmita Banerjee,whose murder Afghan officials blamed on the insurgent militia fighting against the government for 12 years. The 49-year-old was dragged out of her husband’s house by masked gunmen in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province Wednesday and repeatedly shot.

Police suggested her book,an account of her escape from the Taliban two decades ago,may have been the reason she was killed.

But Friday a Taliban spokesman denied any involvement.

“We reject claims that Mujahideen were involved in the killing of the Indian woman. It is a propaganda by government officials to defame the Mujahideen,” Zabiullah Mujahid said.