Over 200 arrested in anti-terror operation ahead of Independence Day, says Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Monday that security agencies had arrested more than 200 people linked to a network allegedly supported by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in a coordinated operation across 14 States ahead of Independence Day.
The crackdown, which took place on August 12, was aimed at thwarting plans by the Shahzad Bhatti Network to carry out subversive activities during the Independence Day period, Shah said. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), 253 individuals were detained, and over 200 of them have been formally arrested.
In a post on social media platform X, Shah described the operation as reflecting the Narendra Modi government's “zero-tolerance” policy towards terrorism. He said security forces had “ripped apart” the network through simultaneous operations at multiple locations, recovering improvised explosive devices (IEDs), grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live cartridges, and CCTV cameras allegedly used for espionage.
An official statement from the MHA said the Shahzad Bhatti Network has been linked to a series of grenade attacks, IED blasts, petrol bomb incidents, and targeted killings across the country. Investigators said the syndicate paid local operatives to carry out reconnaissance of police establishments, defence installations, and religious sites, and to install CCTV cameras for surveillance purposes.
According to the state-wise breakdown released by the MHA, the maximum detentions were reported in Uttar Pradesh (62), followed by Haryana (52), Delhi (51), Punjab (44), Rajasthan (15), Maharashtra (8), and Uttarakhand (5). Karnataka, Gujarat, and Bihar each accounted for three detentions, while Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala recorded two each. Fresh FIRs were registered in Delhi and Karnataka.
The MHA said that cumulatively, more than 80 FIRs have been registered and over 200 arrests made in connection with the network under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Arms Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the Explosive Substances Act.
“The operation is a significant success against cross-border terrorism,” Shah said. He emphasised that the crackdown was executed through a real-time intelligence-sharing mechanism involving central agencies and state police forces.
The MHA statement did not elaborate on the specific targets or the timeline of the alleged plots, but officials said that the recoveries of explosives and weapons had significantly disrupted the network's capabilities. The agency also noted that the use of CCTV cameras indicated a sophisticated surveillance effort, though the extent to which these were operational remains under investigation.
The arrests come amid heightened security measures across the country in the run-up to Independence Day, with authorities on alert for potential terror threats. India has long accused Pakistan of supporting such networks, a charge Islamabad consistently denies.
Legal experts point out that those arrested will be produced before the relevant courts, and their guilt or innocence will be determined through due process. The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are possible, the MHA indicated.
The development underscores the ongoing challenges Indian security agencies face in countering cross-border terrorism. While the government has lauded the operation as a major success, independent observers have called for a thorough judicial review of the evidence to ensure that the legal process is followed transparently.
