In a significant operation targeting the nexus between criminal syndicates and Khalistani separatists with international ties, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at 51 locations across multiple states. The crackdown focused on networks allegedly being exploited by terror groups based in Pakistan and Canada. Several individuals have been detained, and a substantial cache of weapons, ammunition, and digital evidence has been seized.
The raids, conducted early in the morning, targeted individuals associated with Lawrence Bishnoi and Canada-based Arshdeep Dalla. Delhi Police had recently linked these individuals to the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and alleged plans for attacks on Hindu leaders in Punjab.
This operation assumes significance in the backdrop of a diplomatic dispute between India and Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made claims of “credible” information linking “agents of Delhi” to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. India has dismissed these allegations as “absurd” and criticized the lack of evidence-sharing by Canadian authorities.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has drawn attention to a rise in “organised crime relating to secessionist forces and extremism” in Canada.
The NIA’s operation targeted locations in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the National Capital Region, with a significant number of raids conducted in Punjab. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to build strong cases against syndicates, many of which now operate from Dubai and are linked to cases filed last year under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Individuals such as Lakhbir Singh alias Landa in Canada, Harvinder Singh Rinda in Pakistan, and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States, founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice separatist group, were among the targets of these operations.
The NIA alleges that fugitives like Arshdeep Dalla and Gaurav Patial based abroad maintain connections with Khalistani terrorists to secure funding, smuggle weapons, orchestrate murders, engage in extortion, and participate in other anti-national activities.
Cases have been filed against prominent figures, including gangster bosses Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar, Vikram Brar, Bambiha, Kaushal Chaudhary, Neeraj Bawana, Dilpreet, Sukhpreet alias Budha, Sunil alias Tillu Tajpuriya, and others. Notably, Bambiha was shot dead in a 2016 encounter, and Sunil was killed inside Delhi’s Tihar Jail in May.
While Lawrence Bishnoi is incarcerated in Ahmedabad, Arshdeep Dalla resides in Canada. Last week, the NIA also seized properties owned by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in Chandigarh and Amritsar. Pannun, facing numerous charges related to promoting and commissioning terrorist acts, is wanted in multiple criminal cases, including sedition.
These operations underscore India’s commitment to combating terrorism and its determination to disrupt networks that pose a threat to national security.
Sources By Agencies