The Punjab Police, in coordination with central and state agencies, has busted an ISI-backed network linked to the recent grenade attack on a Gurdaspur police station and suspected of planning additional strikes. Officials said the module was layered and aimed at triggering communal tensions in the region.
DIG Border Range Sandeep Goyal, while talking to news agency ANI on Monday, said the operation involved assistance from the Delhi Police, Haryana Police and the state’s own intelligence agencies. He identified the key handlers as Shahzad Bhatti, Zeeshan Akhtar of Jalandhar Rural, and Amandeep Singh Aman Pannu of Gurdaspur.
According to Goyal, the group had planned a hand grenade attack to create unrest between communities and had already targeted the Gurdaspur police station.
“They had planned a hand grenade attack to spread chaos and disharmony between communities. They had carried out a hand grenade attack on a police station in Gurdaspur,” he added.
Two sub-groups were reportedly functioning under the network, and a second strike was being prepared for later in the week before police intervened.
“They had created two modules of their own, and the second module was to carry out another such incident after 4-5 days, which we foiled yesterday (Sunday)… We have arrested Naveen and Kush. Two pistols and a P86 Chinese-made hand grenade were also recovered from them,” he said.
Interrogation led police to more suspects, including Gurjeet Singh and Pradeep Singh, who were detained during follow-up raids. Officers also confirmed that earlier arrests made by Delhi Police, identified as Hargun and Vijay Prajapati from Gwalior, were part of the same network.
Police have identified another individual linked to the third layer of the module and say further arrests are expected as the investigation continues.