India Detains 253 in Coordinated Crackdown on Cross-Border Network Ahead of Independence Day
New Delhi: In a coordinated operation days before Independence Day, Indian security agencies detained 253 people across 14 states and registered over 80 FIRs, in what officials describe as a major action against a cross-border network allegedly run by Pakistan-based handler Shahzad Bhatti.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the development on social media platform X, stating that multi-state raids were carried out around August 12 as part of a synchronized crackdown. “To thwart nefarious designs of terror outfits before Independence Day, our security agencies launched simultaneous operations against the Shahzad Bhatti Network. 253 operatives detained in 14 states. 80-plus FIRs registered. The nation is safe,” Shah posted.
Officials said the operation focused on Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Punjab, with smaller detentions reported in other states. The action followed months of surveillance and intelligence sharing between central agencies and state police, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
During the raids, security forces recovered a cache of materials including improvised explosive devices (IEDs), grenades marked with Pakistan Ordnance Factory stamps, pistols, live cartridges and CCTV equipment. Officials said the CCTV gear was suspected to have been used for espionage and reconnaissance of potential targets.
The timing of the crackdown was critical, with intelligence inputs warning of possible attempts to carry out strikes in crowded areas ahead of August 15 celebrations, sources said.
Shahzad Bhatti, according to intelligence agencies, is a Pakistan-based handler operating under the patronage of the ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence agency. He is reported to run a network that recruits, funds and arms operatives in India through hawala channels and encrypted messaging applications.
The network is believed to specialize in pushing explosives and small arms across the border and using local sleeper cells to conduct reconnaissance of high-value targets. The recovered POF-marked grenades and espionage-linked CCTV equipment are seen by investigators as signatures of the module’s modus operandi, which blends terror strikes with surveillance.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said the network had been under watch for months, and the August 12 operation was the culmination of coordinated inputs from central agencies and state police forces. Further investigations are ongoing.
