Babbar Khalsa Crackdown: NIA conducts searches at 15 locations in Punjab in connection with Gurdaspur grenade case

The National Investigation Agency in Friday searched 15 location in Punjab linked to the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror group. The searches were conducted in connection with the grenade attack on a police station in Gurdaspur in December 2024.

According to the official statement released by the NIA, the searches were carried out in the Gurdaspur, Batala, Amritsar, and Kapurthala districts of Punjab. During the searches, the NIA seized various incriminating materials, including mobiles, digital devices, and documents.

“Cracking down further on the activities of the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist group, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday searched 15 locations in Punjab, in connection with the grenade attack on a police station in Gurdaspur district in December last year,” NIA press release said. 

“Today's searches, carried out in Gurdaspur, Batala, Amritsar, and Kapurthala districts of Punjab, led to the seizure of various incriminating materials, including mobiles/digital devices and documents,” the NIA press release added. 

Search to nab wanted terrorists: 

The NIA mentioned that they were looking for US-based BKI operative and gangster Harpreet Singh, aka Happy Passian and his nodes Shamsher Singh Shera aka Honey. The NIA added that a key aide of the Pakistan-based BKI terrorist Harwinder Singh aka Rinda, Happy has been found to be responsible to recently orchestrating numerous grenade attacks on various police stations and police posts in the states of Punjab and Haryana. 

The apex investigation agency, in its probe related to the hand grenade attack on the police station Ghanie Ke Bangar in Gurdaspur, revealed that the arrested accused, who had committed the crime, was acting on the directions of Happy, along with Shamsher and other aides.

The NIA added, "The BKI operatives, based in various countries, were engaged in a criminal conspiracy to recruit and train India-based associates, provide funds, weapons and explosives to field operatives of the terror outfit. These activities were being carried out through their associates and acquaintances, also based abroad, including in Pakistan. The conspiracy by the foreign-based designated terrorists and handlers was aimed at carrying out terror acts on the Indian soil," the NIA concluded.