New Delhi: Indian security forces have dismantled the Pakistan-based, ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network following a massive coordinated crackdown across 14 states ahead of Independence Day. The nationwide offensive resulted in the detention of 253 individuals, more than 200 arrests, and the registration of over 80 first information reports under stringent statutory provisions, effectively thwarting planned subversive attacks and targeted violence across the country.
The operation, executed on August 12 through a real-time intelligence-sharing mechanism connecting central agencies and state police departments, resulted in substantial seizures of weapons and espionage equipment. Recoveries included improvised explosive devices, hand grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, handguns, live ammunition, and closed-circuit television systems deployed for surveillance, establishing direct cross-border logistical links.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah commended the security forces for neutralizing the syndicate, noting that the coordinated action exemplifies the government’s zero-tolerance stance on cross-border terrorism. The network had been operating as an ISI-sponsored syndicate linked to petrol bomb strikes, explosive detonations, and targeted killings across India, while utilizing local operatives to conduct reconnaissance on defence establishments, police stations, and prominent religious sites.
The multi-state raid saw the highest number of detentions in Uttar Pradesh with 62 suspects, followed by 52 in Haryana, 51 in Delhi, 44 in Punjab, and 15 in Rajasthan. Additional detentions occurred across Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, Bihar, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, with new criminal cases lodged in Delhi and Karnataka as authorities continue investigations to completely dismantle the remaining operational cells.
