18-year-old linked to Pak-based gangster, terror outfit arrested by Delhi Police special cell

An 18-year-old linked to Pakistan's TTH was arrested in Delhi for planning grenade attacks and graffiti, exposing a broader terror network.

New Delhi: An 18-year-old “key operative” of Pakistan-based terror outfit Tehrik-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH), and linked to gangster-turned-terrorist Shehzad Bhatti, was arrested by the special cell of Delhi Police, officials said on Monday, adding that the arrestee was allegedly being groomed for carrying out grenade attacks and painting pro-TTH graffiti across Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

The arrestee was allegedly being groomed for carrying out grenade attacks and painting pro-TTH graffiti across Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Naara Chaitanya said the unit had been mounting surveillance on Pakistan-based terror handler Shahzad Bhatti, allegedly involved in planning terrorist activities in India. It was learnt that one Harmandeep Singh alias Harman was in frequent contact with Bhatti and his foreign-based associates through social media platforms.

Harman, a resident of UP’s Rampur, allegedly painted “TTH” graffiti at three locations in Talwara in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district in February on the instructions of his handlers, including Bhatti. He sent the photographs and videos of the painted graffiti to his handlers.

“The information was developed and Harman was arrested. A mobile phone containing incriminating chats between Harman and his handlers were recovered from him along with a black spray paint bottle that he had used to paint the graffiti,” the DCP said.

Harman claimed his associates were involved in a February firing at a car in north Delhi’s Kashmere Gate in which one of its five occupants was injured. A man who claimed to be jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s advocate was in the car.

Bhatti had claimed responsibility on social media for planning the attack. Bishnoi’s advocate had informed police about alleged threats from Bhatti, an officer said.

“Investigations revealed that the alleged terror module operated in a structured manner, with Pakistan-based handlers recruiting young individuals in India through social media. Recruits were initially assigned low-risk tasks such as reconnaissance, logistics support and graffiti to test their reliability and expand the network. Once vetted, they were allegedly tasked with executing serious attacks, including firing and grenade strikes,” the officer added.

Harman’s interrogation revealed he was instructed to carry out similar graffiti in Delhi and UP and to recruit others into the network. He was also allegedly directed to plan a grenade attack at a police chowki in Rampur, with assurances that weapons would be supplied through conduits operating from Punjab using drones.

“The arrest has helped avert a potential terror strike and exposed a wider conspiracy involving foreign handlers and local recruits,” the officer said.