Investigations by the Indian security agencies have revealed how a sophisticated cross-border operation in which five Pakistan-based operatives, acting under the patronage of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), used Instagram Reels to identify, groom and recruit young Indians into a terror-crime network.
Led by Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti, the module combined the aesthetics of social-media influence with classic handler tactics: gradual trust-building, financial bait, religious appeals and promises of life abroad. Authorities have arrested around 700 people linked to the network across multiple states. For security agencies, the biggest challenge isn’t just stopping shipments or raiding hideouts. They also have to break the online connections that turn a Reel into a tool for recruiting new members.
Bhatti, a man from Lahore in his mid-forties, has worked in the UAE, Portugal, and most recently Brazil. Rather than following the usual handler path, he made a name for himself as a stylish influencer. His videos often feature him getting out of luxury cars, posing by snooker tables, or giving bold speeches. With dramatic editing and aggressive music, these clips have attracted hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram and Facebook.
He ran several accounts, often ending with “333”, to build a gangster image. At the same time, he posted religious content and claimed he was seeking donations or revenge.
His main associates, Abid Jatt, Ajmal Gujjar, Rana Hussain @ Rana Bhai, and Hassan Gujjar, used similar profiles and handled recruitment, logistics, and the process. The process rarely began with a discussion of terrorism.
ISI operatives searched Reels for replies from Indian users (typically aged 18-25), often in financial difficulty or unemployed. A simple ‘hi’, follow, or comment was enough to start a conversation. Once they made contact, they moved to WhatsApp or Signal.
They offered small amounts of money (`5k to `10k) for simple tasks like putting up posters with Bhatti’s picture.
As the risks went up, so did the payments. Tasks included moving goods or weapons between states, setting up CCTV cameras near railway stations, air bases, or police stations. They reportedly sent the footage to Pakistan. Other jobs involved gathering information or carrying out targeted attacks. They also offered help with fake passports and settling in Nepal, Dubai, or Pakistan, along with messages describing the work as defending religious honour.
Investigators linked the Bhatti network to targeted killings of police officers in Punjab, a bomb blast outside the BSF headquarters in Jalandhar, a petrol-bomb attack on an RSS office in Jharkhand, and plans involving grenades and homemade explosives at police stations and other key locations. Police found pistols and grenades with Pakistan Ordnance Factory labels during raids.
The Independence Day crackdown led to 253 arrests across 14 states and more than 80 FIRs. On 16 September, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared the Shahzad Bhatti Network a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. It was the 46th group to be listed.
What sets this group apart is its low-cost, high-volume approach. Instead of spending much on a few highly radicalised members, it created a large group of young men ready to do small jobs for little money and the promise of a better future or a sense of religious duty.
Delhi Police sent more than 100 takedown requests to Meta for Instagram profiles connected to the group. But new accounts and encrypted channels appear quickly, so shutting down the network completely is difficult.