Delhi terror plot: Religious places, police on radar of Pak-linked group

Delhi Police's Special Cell arrested four operatives of a Pakistan-linked terror module, the Shahzad Bhatti network. The group was allegedly planning attacks on religious places and police establishments in the national capital.

Religious places and police establishments in the national capital were on the radar of a cross-border terror-crime syndicate, the Delhi Police said on Wednesday, after arresting an operative of the Shahzad Bhatti network who was allegedly conducting reconnaissance of sensitive locations.

Major Crackdown on Terror Network

Detailing the specific threat to the capital, DCP Special Cell Praveen Kumar Tripathi told ANI, "One of the accused was arrested in Delhi, who was tasked with carrying out recce of religious places, police establishments, and police nakas (checkpoints). He was also promised weapons for carrying out a firing incident in Delhi." The arrest was part of a major crackdown by the Special Cell (New Delhi Range), which led to the apprehension of four members of the network operating at the behest of Pakistan-based handlers. While one operative was nabbed in Delhi, three others were arrested in the bordering areas of Punjab. "A team of Special Cell in the New Delhi range has arrested four accused--three from Punjab and one from Delhi--in a major crackdown against the Shahzad Bhatti network. Three of these accused were arrested from the bordering areas of Punjab, where they were receiving narco and arms consignments regularly from their Pakistan-based handlers. These handlers were found to be linked with the Shahzad Bhatti network," DCP Tripathi added. The investigation is ongoing to identify other local links and potential targets planned by the network.

Arrests and Recoveries

Earlier today, Delhi Police's Special Cell arrested four men from Punjab and Delhi for allegedly planning a terror attack in the national capital on the directions of Pakistan-based ISI handler Shahzad Bhatti. The accused were identified as Shubdeep Singh (23), Gurjant Singh (22), Sajan Singh (28), and Gaganpreet (24). Three are from Punjab, and one was arrested in Delhi. Police recovered two foreign-made pistols, nine live cartridges, and five mobile phones from them.

Acting on specific intelligence, a team led by Inspectors Satish Rana and Ashok, under ACP Vivek Kumar Tyagi, conducted raids in Delhi and Punjab. The first arrest was made in Amritsar, where Shubdeep Singh was caught with a pistol, cartridges, and phones. Further investigation led to the arrest of his associates Gurjant Singh and Sajan Singh in Punjab. The fourth accused, Gaganpreet, was arrested in Delhi on April 24.

Modus Operandi Revealed

During interrogation, the accused revealed they were in contact with Pakistani handlers using foreign phone numbers to avoid detection. They allegedly received arms and narcotics through drones from across the border. One of the accused, Gaganpreet, had conducted reconnaissance of police stations and religious places in Delhi and was tasked with carrying out a firing incident. (ANI)

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