The Central Bureau of Investigation finally took over the probe into the serial killings of children and women at Nithari in Noida from the Uttar Pradesh police on Wednesday night. It has registered some cases.

The CBI's entry into the investigations followed three days of sparring between the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government over issuing a formal notification on the issue.

"We have just now received a notification from the Union government asking us to begin a probe into the Nithari killings," CBI Director Vijay Shanker told reporters on Wednesday evening.

The CBI received the notification from the Department of Personnel and Training Wednesday evening, after which the process for taking over the investigations was initiated.

Initially, CBI registered some of the 19 cases related to the killings at Nithari, including one that alleges Moninder Singh Pandher and Surendra Koli kidnapped and murdered children.

The CBI will set up a camp office in Nithari and at least a dozen special teams have been formed for a speedy investigation.

Shanker said the CBI would attach highest priority to the case and probe the entire ramifications of the killings and disappearance of children.

Sources in the agency said the Noida police came to the CBI's headquarters on Wednesday evening and handed over all details pertaining to the case.

The CBI's move came after five days after Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav announced he would hand over the probe to the agency.