A terror network allegedly connected to gangsters Shahzad Bhatti and Abid Jatt has been disrupted by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (UP ATS), which reported the apprehension of four suspected associates. The arrests occurred on Wednesday during a coordinated operation with the Special Task Force.

The suspects, identified as Mehkab, Gagandeep Singh alias Guri, Shahrukh, and Musharraf, were allegedly plotting significant attacks across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. Investigators stated that the group had pinpointed several potential targets, including crowded hospitals and a political party office.

Reports indicate that Mehkab and Gagandeep Singh alias Guri had already completed reconnaissance of the selected sites. Meanwhile, Shahrukh and Musharraf were allegedly exploring social media channels for methods to execute explosive attacks at hospitals.

Detailed Investigations Uncover Terror Plans

According to the UP ATS, photographic evidence and geographical coordinates of the targeted locations in Delhi and Punjab were reportedly transmitted to gangster Bhatti in Pakistan. The agency claimed that the attacks were dependent on acquiring weapons and explosives through Bhatti’s network.

Notably, Bhatti had kept the identity of the targeted school operator in Punjab confidential, stating that further details would be disclosed only after weapons were delivered. The UP ATS further alleged that Bhatti has been orchestrating an agenda for targeted killings across Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Punjab.

This recent development represents a considerable success for investigative agencies aiming to dismantle transnational terror and criminal networks that reportedly utilise digital avenues for coordination.

Continued Crackdown on Bhatti’s Operations

To date, the UP ATS has dismantled four distinct modules associated with the Pakistan-based gangster. The agency has interrogated over 150 individuals and has sent 13 suspects to custody during its ongoing enforcement campaign against Bhatti’s operations.

Coordinated efforts are also evident from the Delhi Police Special Cell, which has executed numerous raids resulting in the arrest of several individuals linked to Bhatti’s network. Three weeks prior, the Delhi Police Special Cell detained nine suspects connected to the ISI-backed Bhatti module identified in Delhi and other states.

During this earlier operation, law enforcement recovered weapons from the detainees and learned that the module had plans for attacks targeting significant sites, including a historic temple in Delhi, a well-known dhaba on the Delhi-Sonipat highway, and a military facility in Hisar.

In April of this year, authorities apprehended two additional alleged operatives suspected of planning targeted assassinations and grenade attacks throughout the Delhi-NCR region. In November of the previous year, the Special Cell successfully dismantled another terror-gangster module, arresting three individuals from Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, who were reportedly involved in a grenade attack in Punjab and conducting reconnaissance of various potential targets in multiple states.

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