ISI-Backed Shahzad Bhatti Network Neutralised in Multi-State Operation Ahead of Independence Day
- MGMMTeam
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Indian security agencies have dismantled a Pakistan-based terror network linked to Shahzad Bhatti through a coordinated multi-state operation conducted ahead of Independence Day. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said more than 200 operatives of the group were arrested, preventing planned subversive attacks. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 253 people were detained across 14 states during the action carried out on 12 August with the support of real-time intelligence sharing between central agencies and state police forces.
In a public statement, Shah said the network had been destroyed and its plans for attacks thwarted. He described the coordinated effort as a demonstration of India’s policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism. Recoveries made during the operations included improvised explosive devices, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live cartridges and CCTV cameras that were allegedly being used for espionage.
Profile of the Network and Its Operations
The Ministry of Home Affairs has described the Shahzad Bhatti Network as a Pakistan-based, ISI-backed terror syndicate involved in grenade, IED and petrol bomb attacks as well as targeted killings in different parts of India. Officials said the group had been using local intermediaries to conduct reconnaissance of police stations, defence installations and religious sites, and to install surveillance cameras for intelligence purposes.
Shahzad Bhatti is characterised in investigative accounts as a gangster who later turned to terror-related activities and is believed to operate from Pakistan and the Gulf region. Reports indicate that he and associates have relied on social media and encrypted communication platforms to recruit individuals inside India. Earlier operations by the Delhi Police Special Cell in 2026 had already led to the arrest of several people linked to the network who were allegedly involved in the smuggling of arms, ammunition and narcotics from Pakistan into the Delhi-NCR region through Punjab.
The National Investigation Agency is examining multiple cases connected to Bhatti. These include an alleged role in a March 2025 grenade attack at the residence of a social media influencer in Jalandhar, Punjab, as well as explosions at police stations in Sirsa and Ambala in Haryana.
Details of the August Crackdown
The operation on 12 August resulted in 253 detentions across 14 states. Uttar Pradesh accounted for the largest number at 62, followed by Haryana with 52, Delhi with 51 and Punjab with 44. Rajasthan reported 15 detentions, Maharashtra eight and Uttarakhand five. Three people each were detained in Karnataka, Gujarat and Bihar, while two each were held in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala. Fresh FIRs were registered in Delhi and Karnataka.
More than 80 FIRs have been filed and over 200 arrests recorded against the network under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Arms Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the Explosive Substances Act. The presence of grenades marked with Pakistan Ordnance Factory identification has been cited by officials as evidence of direct cross-border connections.
Related Arrests and Continuing Investigations
The central announcement followed related arrests in West Bengal, where the Special Task Force detained a suspected Pakistani national and others near the India-Bangladesh border. Investigators are examining possible links to Pakistan’s intelligence agency in those cases. Separate actions in Assam and other states earlier in the year had also targeted alleged members of the same network involved in recruitment, reconnaissance and logistical support.
These operations form part of a broader effort by Indian security agencies to disrupt modules that combine criminal networks with terror objectives and that use social media for radicalisation and recruitment. Officials have highlighted improved coordination between central agencies and state police as a key factor in the scale of the August action.
The MGMM Outlook
The dismantling of the Shahzad Bhatti Network ahead of Independence Day highlights the growing effectiveness of India’s security agencies in countering terror networks with alleged cross-border links. The coordinated operation across 14 states, resulting in 253 detentions, demonstrates the importance of real-time intelligence sharing between central agencies and state police forces. The recovery of explosives, firearms, ammunition and surveillance equipment further underlines the seriousness of the threat and the need to identify terror modules before they can execute their plans.
The crackdown also reflects a broader shift towards disrupting the entire ecosystem that supports terrorism, including recruitment, reconnaissance, arms trafficking, narcotics networks and encrypted communication channels. With investigations continuing across several states and agencies examining the network’s alleged links to Pakistan, sustained coordination will remain essential. Preventing attacks before they occur, dismantling local support structures and strengthening intelligence capabilities are crucial to ensuring that India’s security remains protected, particularly during sensitive periods such as Independence Day.
(Sources: Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, India Today)
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