In a sweeping counter-terrorism operation ahead of India's Independence Day, over 200 operatives associated with the Pakistan-based, ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network were arrested across 14 states. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the results of the operation on Monday, August 17, 2026, describing it as a significant victory against cross-border terrorism. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the coordinated raids, which took place on August 12, successfully disrupted plans by the terror group to conduct subversive activities during the national holiday. The Shahzad Bhatti Network, known for orchestrating grenade attacks, improvised explosive device (IED) blasts, petrol bomb incidents and targeted killings, was dismantled through simultaneous operations in multiple locations. Security agencies, working under a real-time intelligence-sharing framework, managed to apprehend 253 individuals. These included more than 200 operatives directly linked to the network, along with others connected through financial or logistical ties. The operation spanned several states, with the highest number of arrests recorded in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Among the seized items were IEDs, grenades marked with Pakistan Ordnance Factory insignia, pistols, live ammunition and CCTV cameras believed to have been used for surveillance. The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that these materials were recovered during the operation, underscoring the network's involvement in espionage and planning attacks against critical infrastructure and public spaces. The arrests were made under various legal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Arms Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and the Explosive Substances Act. The operation led to the registration of over 80 First Information Reports (FIRs) and the detention of 253 individuals. The distribution of arrests among the states was as follows: Uttar Pradesh (62), Haryana (52), Delhi (51), Punjab (44), Rajasthan (15), Maharashtra (8), Uttarakhand (5), with Karnataka, Gujarat and Bihar accounting for three each, and Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala recording two each. Fresh FIRs were filed in Delhi and Karnataka following the operation. In addition to the main operation, authorities in West Bengal recently arrested two individuals, one of whom is suspected to be a Pakistani national. Rana Rauf, alias Wahab Alam, a resident of Faisalabad, Pakistan, was detained near the India-Bangladesh border in the North 24 Parganas district. Officials suspect he has ties to Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, and are investigating his activities within India. A second individual, Mohammad Ejaz, was arrested in Kolkata and is alleged to have maintained direct communication with Rauf. Another person, a 23-year-old native of Uttar Pradesh, was also detained in Kalaburagi for maintaining prolonged contact with suspected Pakistani terror figures via social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram. These recent arrests highlight ongoing efforts by Indian security forces to track down and neutralize elements of foreign-sponsored terror networks operating within the country. The government continues to emphasize its commitment to a zero-tolerance approach toward terrorism, leveraging both domestic and international intelligence resources to prevent potential threats to national security. As investigations into the captured individuals continue, further details on their roles and connections within the broader network are expected to emerge.
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