Chandigarh grenade blast: NIA raids 16 locations in Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand
NIA searches 16 locations in Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand linked to 2024 Chandigarh grenade blast; evidence tied to ISI-backed terrorists Harwinder Singh and Harpreet Singh.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted searches at 16 locations across Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in connection with the last year’s Chandigarh grenade blast case linking Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and US-based Harpreet Singh.
The operation aims to uncover crucial evidence and track down individuals linked to the incident. According to an official statement by the NIA, the searches were conducted on the premises of suspects linked to US-based terrorist Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia in Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Bathinda and Ferozepur districts of Punjab, Lakhimpur Kheri district in UP, Rudrapur district in Uttarakhand, and in UT Chandigarh.
Incriminating materials, including mobiles/digital devices and documents, were seized during the searches, the NIA said in a statement.
The grenade blast, which took place at a house in Sector 10/D, Chandigarh, on September 11, 2024, had raised security concerns, prompting an intensive investigation by the NIA.
The development comes months after the Punjab Police on September 13, 2024, said that they had cracked the Chandigarh grenade blast case by arresting accused Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih. NIA investigations so far in the case have exposed a conspiracy of Pakistan-based Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda and US-based Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, both terrorists belonging to BKI, to attack a retired police officer. The duo had raised a module to carry out the terror attack and had provided funds, weapons and other logistical support to the on-ground operatives.
The conspiracy involved recruitment of India-based associates by foreign-based main accused and handlers for carrying out terror acts, providing funds for such terror acts, smuggling of terror hardware into India, and movement of terror hardware through dead drop model, the NIA said in a statement. “Further investigations in the case are continuing,” the NIA said.