The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday registered a case to look into the terror attack that took place at a gurdwara in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on March 25, PTI reported. One Indian was among 27 Sikh worshippers who were killed in the attack.
This is the first instance of the NIA filing a case for a terror attack committed outside India. According to the amended NIA Act, the central agency is empowered to investigate terror attacks committed outside India “affecting Indian citizens or affecting the interest of India”.
The case was registered under various provisions of Indian Penal Code and anti-terror law.
About 150 people were present in the gurdwara when the attack took place. An Indian citizen, identified as Tian Singh, was also killed.
An official spokesperson said Muhammed Muhsin, a 29-year-old man from Kerala’s Kasaragod district, was suspected to be one of the attackers. The Islamic State in Khorasan Province had claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials said Muhsin went to the United Arab Emirates in 2018 from where he is believed to have joined the ranks with the global terror organisation in Afghanistan.
The attack was condemned internationally and across much of Afghan society. India had said that the “cowardly” incident, that happened at the time when the world is struggling to combat the coronavirus pandemic, showed the “diabolical mindset” of perpetrators.
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