E-Paper
Nalagarh police station blast: Two BKI operatives held in SBS Nagar, IED recovered
Those arrested were acting on directions of Shushant Chopra, an associate of Gurpreet Nawanshahria and BKI mastermind Harwinder Rinda, says Punjab DGP
The SBS Nagar police have arrested two operatives of ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror network involved in the Nalagarh police station blast case, said Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Thursday.
Yadav said the operation was conducted in close coordination with the Himachal Pradesh Police and central agencies.
Those arrested have been identified as Shamsher Singh, alias Sheru, alias Kamal, and Pardeep Singh, alias Deepu, both residents of Rahon in SBS Nagar. Police teams have also recovered an improvised explosive device (IED) from their possession.
The DGP said that preliminary investigation has revealed that on December 31, 2025, the arrested accused, along with their two accomplices, transported an IED from Punjab to Himachal Pradesh, which was later used in the Nalagarh police station blast on January 1, as part of a larger conspiracy targeting police establishments.
The arrested operatives were acting on the directions of Shushant Chopra, a close associate of Gurpreet, alias Gopi Nawanshahria, and BKI mastermind Harwinder Rinda, Yadav said.
Sharing operational details, Nawanshahr senior superintendent of police (SSP) Tushar Gupta said during investigation of an FIR registered under provisions of the NDPS Act at Rahon police station, it was learnt that the accused were acting on the directions of Shushant Chopra.
The SSP said that based on disclosures and follow-up action, one IED has been recovered from the spot pinpointed by the accused, further corroborating their involvement in the terror conspiracy. Police teams have also identified the two accomplices of the arrested accused and raids are being carried out to nab them, he said.
A case under Section 25 of the Arms Act, Sections 4 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act, Sections 10,13, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Section 113(1) and 113(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered at the Rahon police station.
