Will hunt down blast culprits even from netherworld: Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Reiterating the "collective commitment" of Narendra Modi govt to eliminating terrorism from its root, home minister Amit Shah on Monday said culprits of the Nov 10 car bomb blast in Delhi shall be traced from the depths of the netherworld, produced before the judicial system and handed the strictest possible punishment.Addressing the 32nd meeting of the northern zonal council (NZC) in Faridabad, Haryana - attended by chief ministers, Lieutenant Governors and administrators of several northern states - Shah said the zonal councils, which are sub-groups of the Inter-State Council that meet from time to time to resolve inter-state and Centre-state issues, have played an important role in realising PM Modi's vision of strong nation made up of strong states.

These zonal councils, he underlined, are extremely important for dialogue, cooperation, coordination, and 'policy synergy'.During the meeting, Shah, along with the chief ministers of Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Rajasthan and Delhi; LGs of J&K, Delhi and Ladakh; and the administrator of Chandigarh, observed two minutes silence as a tribute to the victims of Delhi car bomb blast and the recent explosion at Nowgam police station in J&K.

Emphasising the continued need for all-out efforts to ensure speedy justice in crimes against women and children and also eradicate malnutrition and stunting, Shah called for speedy investigation in cases of sexual offences and rape under the Pocso Act, besides seeking an increase in the number of fast track special courts.