Punjab Police busts ISI-backed terror module, arrests key operative in Jalandhar

According to the preliminary investigation, the arrested accused had procured the grenade from a DLB near Adampur in Jalandhar on the directions of foreign-based handlers.

In Short

• Police recovered an 86-P hand grenade from the arrested accused
• Investigators said foreign-based handlers directed the accused to collect explosives
• The grenade was allegedly picked up from a DLB near Adampur

Punjab Police has busted an ISI-sponsored Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module and arrested a key operative in a joint operation by Counterintelligence Jalandhar and SBS Nagar Police, senior cop Gaurav Yadav said on Monday.

An 86-P hand grenade was recovered from the accused, helping the police foil a planned attack, the DGP said.

“In a major breakthrough against cross-border terror networks, Counterintelligence Jalandhar, in a joint operation with SBS Nagar Police, busts an ISI-sponsored BKI terror module operated by foreign-based handlers with the arrest of a key operative and recovers an 86-P hand grenade, foiling a planned attack,” said Yadav in a post on X.

According to the preliminary investigation, the arrested accused had procured the grenade from a DLB near Adampur in Jalandhar on the directions of foreign-based handlers.

A DLB, or Dead Letter Box, is a covert communication and logistics technique used by terrorist groups, handlers and organised crime syndicates to exchange instructions, money, weapons or other material without meeting in person. Such methods can allow handlers and operatives to communicate while reducing the risk of direct contact.

PROBE INTO WIDER TERROR NETWORK

An FIR has been registered at Sadar Nawanshahr police station in SBS Nagar under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Explosive Substances Act, the DGP said.

The police are now conducting a detailed investigation to uncover the wider network and identify the foreign-based handlers allegedly behind the operation. The probe will also focus on the module’s local support network and its forward and backward linkages.

“Further investigation is underway to expose the complete terror network, including foreign handlers, local support networks and forward & backward linkages,” Yadav said.

The operation comes as Punjab Police continues to target cross-border terror networks and their alleged links with organised crime and foreign-based handlers. The state police said it remains committed to dismantling such networks, disrupting organised criminal activity and maintaining peace and public safety across Punjab.

- Ends