nia-conducts-multi-state-anti-terror-searches

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) combed through three states on Thursday as part of its anti-terror raids, the agency said.

The searches across 18 locations in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh started early morning and were conducted after specific inputs on the locations of suspects in at least nine places in Punjab, seven in Haryana, and two in Uttar Pradesh.

The counter-terrorism law enforcement agency, which was assisted by the state police forces of the three states, is probing a terror conspiracy case linked to alleged pro-Khalistani groups and other purported anti-national elements in operation within the country and abroad. While the agency has been carrying out raids related to the case in Punjab in the past, its current raids are connected to alleged attempts to revive terrorism in Punjab through targeted killings, kidnappings, extortions, and cross-border smuggling.

The NIA had chargesheeted a man named Jatinder Singh alias Joti on June 22, said to be a key aide of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKL) terrorist Lakhbir Singh, also known as Landa. Jatinder, who hails from district Gurdaspur in Punjab, is also said to have been an accomplice of gangster Pavittar Batala in a Punjab terror conspiracy case.

Jatinder had been arrested by the NIA on December 23, 2024, from Mumbai in the case, said the agency in a statement. 

During investigations, it was found that Jatinder was involved in the alleged illegal procurement and supply of firearms from Madhya Pradesh to gangsters in Punjab, especially ground operatives of Batala, who is a close associate of Designated Individual Terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa.

Jatinder’s operations in the country were being guided and directed by Batala’s foreign-based associates and the weapons supplied by him used to promote BKI’s terror activities. 

The NIA also found that Jatinder would procure illegal weapons from an arms supplier known as Baljeet Singh alias Rana Bhai, a native of Madhya Pradesh. 
Baljeet has also already been on the NIA’s radar, having been arrested and chargesheeted by the agency. It was discovered that the operatives were using virtual numbers and encrypted applications to avoid detection by LEAs. 

The NIA is now investigating the role of Landa as well as designated terrorist Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and their foreign-based accomplices in the conspiracy.