Two ‘ISI-backed’ cross border terror modules busted, 6 held: DGP

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Chandigarh/Amritsar: Punjab Police have arrested six people in two cases involving an alleged Pakistan ISI-backed arms and explosives network, including a conspiracy to attack police establishments and an improvised explosive device (IED) blast near Khasa Army Cantonment in May.

Police recovered a hand grenade, a 9mm pistol and five live cartridges in the case involving an alleged plot to attack police buildings, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday. The three men arrested in connection with the alleged conspiracy to attack police establishments are Navdeep Singh, a resident of Fatehgarh Korotana in Moga district, and Samuel alias Samu and Sandeep Singh alias Tiddi, both from Menewala village in Moga.

The three men arrested over the Khasa Cantonment blast have been identified as Ramandeep Singh, Jajpreet Singh and Arshdeep Singh alias Kekra. All three are residents of Purani Dana Mandi in Attari, Amritsar district.

Yadav said preliminary investigations had indicated links between the alleged network, smugglers based abroad and Pakistani intelligence operatives. Police are investigating the suspected links and trying to establish the network’s wider connections.

Inspector General of Police for the Border Range Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the arrests in the first case followed intelligence inputs from central agencies about an alleged plot by cross-border handlers to attack police buildings and disrupt peace.

Acting on the information, police intercepted a motorcycle and arrested Navdeep Singh and his two alleged associates, Samuel and Sandeep Singh, Bhullar said.

A case was registered at Gharinda police station on October 11 under sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act and section 25 of the Arms Act. The case is registered under FIR number 441.

Police said the operation had also helped solve an IED explosion on the night of May 5, 2026, at around 11pm. The device exploded near a wall of the Brigade Security area at Khasa Cantonment.

Amritsar Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal had formed a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the blast, which initially remained unsolved, police said.

The team included officers from investigation, operations, the detective department and Attari police station.

Chahal said teams led by CIA inspector Manmeet Singh and Gharinda station house officer Amandeep Singh arrested Ramandeep Singh, Jajpreet Singh and Arshdeep Singh alias Kekra following an investigation that included technical tracking.