Punjab Police foils planned attack by busting ISI-linked BKI terror Module
Counter Intelligence (CI) Jalandhar and SBS Nagar Police joined forces to dismantle an ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror group led by handlers based abroad. They arrested a key member and recovered an 86-P hand grenade, preventing a planned attack.
The arrested man is Lakhwinder Singh, also known as Jola, from Bairsian village in SBS Nagar district. Police found him in the area after receiving reliable information. He told officers where to find the 86-P hand grenade, which they recovered from his village. Early investigations show he collected the grenade from a dead letter box (DLB) near Adampur in Jalandhar, following instructions from handlers abroad.
A dead letter box is a secret method used by terror groups and organised networks to transfer weapons, money, or instructions without meeting face-to-face, helping them avoid detection. Police have registered FIR No. 124, dated 9 August 2026, at Sadar Nawanshahr Police Station in SBS Nagar under sections 113(1) and 113(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav confirmed the breakthrough and said the operation targeted cross-border terror networks. Police are now trying to find out more about the network, including foreign handlers, local support, and all connections involved in the plot.
Recovery of the Chinese-made 86-P grenade shows that forces inimical to India are still trying to smuggle and use explosives through secret routes. Police have once again promised to break up these networks and protect the public.
This operation is part of Punjab Police’s ongoing efforts against cross-border terror groups in 2026. By the end of July, Punjab Police had already broken up 10 similar groups and arrested 137 people. They seized 49 hand grenades, 12 RDX-based IEDs, 3.756 kg of RDX, seven automatic rifles, 76 pistols and revolvers, nine detonators, one RPG with a launcher, and several communication devices. Authorities also intercepted 183 drones and stopped several attempts to use cameras to send video across the border.
On 26 July 2026, Counter Intelligence Jalandhar and Jalandhar Rural Police stopped Satbir Singh from Padiana village near Adampur. He was carrying a 1.3 kg IED filled with high explosives, iron shrapnel, and ball bearings, posing a serious threat. His group received support from ISI and was directed by handlers based overseas.
Police filed an FIR at Patara police station under the relevant laws.
On 1 August 2026, a grenade attack targeted the Urban Estate police post in Batala. Counter Intelligence Jalandhar and Batala Police arrested two suspects, Rajan (also known as Gullu) and a juvenile. On 8 August, they arrested a third member, Karanjit Singh (also called Bacha), from Murgi Mohalla, Batala. Investigators found he was part of an ISI-backed BKI group led by a handler in Portugal. After the attack, he went into hiding and was reportedly planning more attacks on police sites in the state.
These ongoing operations show that Chinese-made 86-P grenades and IEDs are often used and usually delivered through secret channels like dead letter boxes or drones. Foreign handlers, especially those in Portugal and Canada, still play a major role.
Punjab Police, led by DGP Gaurav Yadav, continues to target logistics and local recruitment networks that support these plots. The recent arrest in SBS Nagar shows ongoing efforts to stop these groups and prevent attacks, especially before major national events. Investigations are still going on to break up the remaining networks and keep India’s frontier state, Punjab, safe from terror attacks.
