AI Generated Summary
- In a major security breakthrough, state police, in coordination with the Rajasthan Police, claim to have dismantled an ISI-backed terror module tied to the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).
- Intelligence suggested the operatives had been instructed to target public places, including a liquor store in SBS Nagar, to sow fear during the run-up to the national holiday.
- The Punjab Police have registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Explosive Substances Act at Nawanshahr city police station.
In a major security breakthrough, state police, in coordination with the Rajasthan Police, claim to have dismantled an ISI-backed terror module tied to the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Five individuals, including three minors, were arrested in raids across Tonk and Jaipur districts, thwarting alleged plans for grenade attacks ahead of Independence Day.
According to police officials, the suspects were part of a network overseen by Canada-based gangster Zeeshan Akhtar, BKI operatives Mannu Agwan and Gopi Nawashehria, and Pakistan-based mastermind Harwinder Singh Rinda. Intelligence suggested the operatives had been instructed to target public places, including a liquor store in SBS Nagar, to sow fear during the run-up to the national holiday.
The high-stakes operation, led by Punjab’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) with support from Rajasthan Additional Director General (Crime) Dinesh MN and AGTF Additional Superintendent of Police Siddhant Sharma, followed targeted intelligence inputs. Police say they recovered a hand grenade, a .30 bore pistol, live cartridges, and empty shells from the suspects.
One of the key arrests was wanted gangster Sonu, alias Kali, from Alamgir in Kapurthala district, who has multiple serious criminal cases to his name. During a follow-up search in Behram near Phagwara, Sonu allegedly opened fire on police personnel before being injured in retaliatory fire. He is currently receiving treatment at Civil Hospital, Nawanshahr.
Investigations indicate that the module communicated with handlers via Instagram and other online platforms, luring recruits with financial incentives to carry out violent acts. Authorities believe the network is part of a broader alliance linking Pakistan-based terrorists, Canada-based gangsters, and Indian criminal syndicates such as the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Pakistani gangster Shehzad Bhatti is suspected of coordinating the supply of arms and explosives to local operatives.
The Punjab Police have registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Explosive Substances Act at Nawanshahr city police station. Officials say the arrests have averted a potential wave of violence aimed at destabilizing the region during a sensitive period.
