NEW DELHI: Hours after a media report claimed the US foiled an alleged Indian attempt to bump off Khalistani terrorist and founder of the banned Sikhs For Justice Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on its soil, the foreign office here said India takes US inputs seriously.
“India takes such inputs seriously since it impinges on our own national security interests as well. During the course of recent discussions on the India- US security cooperation, the US side shared some inputs pertaining to the nexus between organised criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others.
The inputs are a cause of concern for both countries and they decided to take necessary and follow up action,’’ said Arindam Bagchi, MEA spokesperson. Pannun had warned Sikhs to not take any Air India flight to India on November 19, the birth anniversary day of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
The story broken by London’s Financial Times claimed the US had protested India’s alleged involvement in the plot to kill Pannun. The protest came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington in June, it added.
On June 18 this year, Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was gunned down by unknown assailants in Canada. After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blamed India for the murder, bilateral relations nosedived with both sides expelling a diplomat each and India suspending visa services. India on Wednesday resumed evisas to Canadians.