Punjab Police busts major Babbar Khalsa terror module

In a major breakthrough against Pakistan’s ISI-backed terror network amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Counter Intelligence (CI) Jalandhar, in a joint operation with SBS Nagar Police, busted a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module with the arrest of five operatives, including three juveniles, from Tonk and Jaipur districts of Rajasthan, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.

The module was being operated by foreign-based handlers Mannu Agwan, Gopi Nawanshehria and Zeeshan Akhtar on the directions of Pak-based BKI operative Harwinder Singh alias Rinda.

Those arrested have been identified as Ritik Naroliya, a resident of village Didawata in Jaipur, Rajasthan; Sonu Kumar alias Kali, a resident of village Kala Sanghian in Kapurthala and three juveniles. Police teams have also recovered one 86P hand-grenade and one .30 bore pistol along with two live cartridges and two empty shells.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that the module had planned an attack inside a liquor store in SBS Nagar recently.

It is worth mentioning that this module had carried out a grenade attack at liquor store in SBS Nagar on August 7, 2025.

The DGP said that the operatives were further tasked to attempt such attacks during the period leading up to the Independence Day. The arrested accused were receiving direct instructions from foreign-based Zeeshan Akhtar and BKI mastermind Mannu Agwan, who is working in close coordination with Pak-based BKI operative Harwinder Rinda, he said.

“We have successfully averted further planned attacks by this terror module,” said DGP Gaurav Yadav, while adding that probe is on to establish forward and backward linkages in this case.

Sharing more details, AIG CI Jalandhar Navjot Mahal said that in an intelligence-led operation, all the five accused persons from the areas of Tonk and Jaipur districts of Rajasthan.

He said that during a follow-up recovery operation, arrested accused Sonu alias Kali attempted to open fire at the police party. In self-defence, the police party retaliated, resulting in a bullet injury to accused Sonu alias Kali, he said, while adding that the injured accused was immediately shifted to Civil Hospital in SBS Nagar, where he is undergoing treatment.

In this regard, an FIR under sections 109, 324(5) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act has been registered at police station City Nawanshahr.