Chandigarh: Top recruiter linked to Happy Passia module nabbed, 3rd arrest in IED case

Harry, a resident of Hardo Putli village in Amritsar, was nabbed from Daria, Chandigarh, on Sunday; he was arrested based on disclosures made by two of his recruits, Joban Jit Singh alias Billa and Sumandeep alias Simma, who were arrested earlier this week with a high-intensity IED, two pistols, and nine live cartridges

Two days after two gangsters linked to terrorists Happy Passia were nabbed with 2 kg improvised explosive device (IED) from Sector-39, Chandigarh, the crime branch made a third arrest in the case. The accused has been identified as Harwant Singh alias Harry, a key member of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) module, and a top recruiter and logistics handler in the network.

The explosive was disposed of by the bomb squad team on Saturday. (HT File)

Harry, a resident of Hardo Putli village in Amritsar, was nabbed from Daria, Chandigarh, on Sunday.

He was arrested based on disclosures made by two of his recruits, Joban Jit Singh alias Billa and Sumandeep alias Simma, who were arrested earlier this week with a high-intensity IED, two pistols, and nine live cartridges.

The IED, suspected to contain RDX, was potent enough to destroy a large commercial hub, said police. The explosive was disposed of by the bomb squad team on Saturday. According to police, the module was awaiting instructions from handlers based abroad and had been moved into the city from border areas in Punjab, possibly due to heightened security presence near the international border.

The interrogation of Billa and Simma revealed that both had been recruited into the module by Harry, who was in direct communication with Malaysia-based Maninder Singh— an intermediary linking operatives in India with foreign-based handlers like Happy Passia and Manu Agwan.

The module used encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp and Snapchat to avoid detection. Weapons, explosives, and cash were delivered through “dead drops,” where precise GPS coordinates were shared with operatives to collect the material without direct human contact.

Harru was allegedly supposed to receive another consignment of arms in Punjab on the instructions of Manu Agwan, but it was intercepted by Punjab Police. He is also believed to have participated in firing incidents in Punjab and helped fund terror operations with financial support from Happy Passia, Manu Agwan, and Gopi Nawasaria. All of them are reportedly working in coordination with Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda.