Full Breakdown
Delhi Police Dismantles Pakistan-Backed Terror-Crime Network in NCR
6/17/2026, 1:44:49 AM
Operation Overview
On June 16 2026, the Special Cell of Delhi Police’s Eastern Range arrested seven suspects linked to a Pakistan-backed terror-crime syndicate operating in the National Capital Region. Police recovered five semi-automatic pistols, 41 live cartridges, seven mobile phones and a Scorpio SUV. The group smuggled weapons and heroin from Pakistan into Punjab via drones before distributing them in Delhi-NCR.
Background and Key Players
Police allege the network operated under Shahzad Bhatti, a gangster-turned-terrorist, and his associate Ajmal Gujjar, under Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). It recruited Indian youths via social-media, promising money and status, then involved them in arms trafficking, narcotics trade and reconnaissance of potential targets. The seven arrested are Mohit (alias Yogi), Anas Tyagi, Deepak Agrola, Arif (alias Pradhan), Karanveer Singh, Jatan and Sabir, all with prior criminal records.
Chronology and Evidence
Intelligence received in mid-May 2026 flagged Bhatti and Gujjar’s plan to target public places in Delhi-NCR. Acting on the tip, Special Cell officers intercepted Mohit (alias Yogi) near the Bhagirath Water Treatment Plant in Yamuna Vihar, recovering a pistol, four cartridges and a phone with chats. Interrogations led to identification and arrest of the six remaining suspects. Seized material included five semi-automatic pistols, 41 live cartridges, seven mobile phones and a Scorpio SUV, plus photographs and videos of potential targets sent to handlers in Pakistan.
Implications
Police claim the operation prevented multiple planned terror incidents and disrupted an ISI-sponsored proxy network that blended crime with terrorism. The case highlights the role of digital platforms in cross-border recruitment and logistics, prompting heightened surveillance and cooperation with Pakistani authorities to curb similar drone-mediated smuggling and cyber-enabled terror plots.
Official Statements & Responses
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Narra Chaitanya said the timely intervention disrupted the organised module and averted several terror attacks. Police officials emphasized that the arrests broke a chain of recruitment, financing and logistics linking Delhi-NCR operatives to handlers in Pakistan, and the probe remains ongoing.
Criticism & Opposition
None of the consulted reports presented public criticism or opposition to the police operation or its findings.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Some sources list Jatan and Sabir among the seven arrested, while others mention only five names; details of financial flows remain unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
"The timely intervention by Special Cell not only disrupted the activities of this organised module but also prevented several planned terror incidents, dealing a significant blow to ISI-sponsored proxy warfare being carried out through criminal-terror networks." — Narra Chaitanya, DCP, Crime
"The network was not only involved in arms and drug supply but was also actively radicalising youths and pushing them towards extremist and criminal activities." — (source: The 420)
"Officials said the operation prevented planned terrorist attacks in the Delhi-NCR region and disrupted a network involved in arms smuggling, narcotics trafficking and reconnaissance of potential targets." — (source: PGurus)
"Legal proceedings are under way against the seven." — (source: The Financial World)
