NIA searches 15 Babbar Khalsa International linked places in Punjab, Haryana

Jun 12, 2025

New Delhi [India], June 12 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday searched 15 locations linked with the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror organisation in Punjab and Haryana in Amritsar police post grenade attack case.
The places searched include Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Kapurthala and Rupnagar districts of Punjab and Sirsa in Haryana in connection with the January 2025 grenade attack at a police post in Amritsar district of Punjab, said the NIA in a statement.
NIA said a host of incriminating materials, including mobiles and digital devices and documents, were seized during the searches, and are being examined for further clues to the terror syndicate of BKI.

The attack on Police Chowki Gumtala under Police Station Cantonment was one of a series of such attacks carried out by BKI operatives across law enforcement establishments in the two north Indian states. It was claimed by Happy Passian, a foreign-based operative of the proscribed BKI.

NIA said its investigations had revealed that the grenade, as well as funding for the terror attack, were provided by Sarwan Singh alias Bhola to the perpetrators, Bagga Singh alias Rinku and Mandeep Singh alias Magga. Bagga was arrested in February 2025 by the Punjab Police, which had initially investigated the case. Mandeep Singh is absconding.

As part of its investigation, NIA, which took over the case in April 2025 and re-registered it as RC-09/2025/NIA/DLI, today searched the premises of accused and suspects linked to Mandeep as well as Sarwan Singh alias Bhola, currently based in USA, and his brother Mandeep Singh alias Makka.

Bhola and Makka are brothers of notorious drug smuggler Ranjit Singh alias Cheeta, who has been previously arrested by NIA in two narco-terror cases - RC 18/2019/NIA/DLI and RC - 23/2020/NIA/DLI. Sarwan Singh alias Bhola is also an accused in the second narco-terror case.

"BKI has been engaged in a criminal conspiracy to recruit and train India-based associates, and to provide funds, weapons and explosives to the field operatives of the terror outfit through their associates and acquaintances based abroad, including in Pakistan. The conspiracy is aimed at carrying out large-scale terror acts on Indian soil," said the NIA.