New Delhi [India], June 12 (HBTV): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at 15 locations linked to the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror organisation in Punjab and Haryana in connection with the January 2025 grenade attack on a police post in Amritsar.

The searches were carried out in the districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Kapurthala, and Rupnagar in Punjab, and Sirsa in Haryana, the NIA said in a statement.

According to the agency, several incriminating materials were seized during the operation, including mobile phones, digital devices, and documents, which are now being examined for further leads into the BKI terror network.

The grenade attack targeted Police Chowki Gumtala under Police Station Cantonment in Amritsar and was part of a series of similar attacks allegedly carried out by BKI operatives against law enforcement facilities in Punjab and Haryana. The attack was claimed by Happy Passian, a foreign-based operative of the proscribed group.

NIA investigations revealed that both the grenade and financial support for the attack were supplied by Sarwan Singh alias Bhola to the perpetrators, Bagga Singh alias Rinku and Mandeep Singh alias Magga. Bagga Singh was arrested in February 2025 by Punjab Police, which initially investigated the case. Mandeep Singh remains absconding.

The NIA, which took over the case in April 2025 and re-registered it as RC-09/2025/NIA/DLI, searched the premises of individuals connected to Mandeep Singh and Sarwan Singh alias Bhola, who is currently based in the United States, as well as Bhola’s brother, Mandeep Singh alias Makka.

Bhola and Makka are brothers of Ranjit Singh alias Cheeta, a notorious drug smuggler previously arrested by the NIA in two narco-terrorism cases—RC 18/2019/NIA/DLI and RC-23/2020/NIA/DLI. Sarwan Singh alias Bhola is also named as an accused in the second 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.

(ANI)