New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday searched multiple locations linked with the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror organisation in the states of Punjab and Haryana.
A total of 15 locations were searched in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Kapurthala, Rupnagar districts of Punjab and Sirsa in Haryana in connection with the January 2025 grenade attack at a police post in Amritsar district of Punjab. A host of incriminating materials, including mobiles/digital devices and documents, were seized during the searches, and are being examined for further clues to the terror syndicate of BKI.
The attack on Police Chowki Gumtala under Police Station Cantonment was one of a series of such attacks carried out by BKI operatives across law enforcement establishments in the two north Indian states. It was claimed by Happy Passian, a foreign-based operative of the proscribed BKI.
Investigations had revealed that the grenade, as well as funding for the terror attack were provided by Sarwan Singh @ Bhola to the perpetrators Bagga Singh @ Rinku and Mandeep Singh @ Magga. Bagga was arrested in February 2025 by Punjab Police, which had initially investigated the case. Mandeep Singh is absconding.
As part of its investigation, NIA, which took over the case in April 2025 and re-registered it as RC-09/2025/NIA/DLI, today searched the premises of accused and suspects linked to Mandeep as well as Sarwan Singh alias Bhola, currently based in USA, and his brother Mandeep Singh alias Makka.
Bhola and Makka are brothers of notorious drug smuggler Ranjit Singh alias Cheeta, who has been previously arrested by NIA in two narco-terror cases – RC 18/2019/NIA/DLI and RC – 23/2020/NIA/DLI. Sarwan Singh @ Bhola is also an accused in the second narco-terror case.
BKI has been engaged in a criminal conspiracy to recruit and train India-based associates, and to provide funds, weapons and explosives to the field operatives of the terror outfit through their associates and acquaintances based abroad, including in Pakistan. The conspiracy is aimed at carrying out large-scale terror acts on Indian soil.
