Indian security agencies have foiled a terror plot targeting Delhi, seized 18 sophisticated firearms from nine operatives, and uncovered a suspected cross-border syndicate spanning Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
According to investigators, the operatives planned to route the weapons through Munger in Bihar and distribute them across several states. Consequently, agencies now view the case as part of a larger network rather than an isolated module.
Investigators are also examining the role of Shahbaz Ansari, a wanted accused in the NIA’s Sidhu Moosewala arms supply case. Further, officials suspect his links may connect to a broader weapons pipeline.
ISI Links Under Focus
The development comes near the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 25 Indians and one Nepalese citizen. Against this backdrop, agencies are treating the latest recovery as part of a continuing proxy threat.
Meanwhile, the case has renewed focus on the Uttar Pradesh ATS operation in Noida on April 24. The ATS arrested two alleged ISI-linked gangsters, Tushar Chauhan alias Hizbullah Ali Khan and Samir Khan. Officers recovered a pistol, live rounds, and a knife.
According to the ATS, Pakistan-based handlers directed the duo and pushed them to radicalise Indian youth through social media. Furthermore, investigators say they were trying to build sleeper cells for targeted killings and reconnaissance of sensitive sites.
The probe has linked the duo to gangsters Shahzad Bhatti and Abid Jatt. Investigators say Tushar was offered Rs 3 lakh, and handlers paid part of it upfront. In addition, they promised him safe passage to Pakistan through Dubai after the attacks.
Agencies have also named ISI operatives identified as Major Hamid, Major Iqbal, and Major Anwar. Officials believe they helped move both weapons and funds.
Taken together, the two breakthroughs point to a coordinated attempt to use criminal routes, radicalisation, and covert networks against India. Therefore, agencies see the Delhi bust as more than a successful seizure. They see it as exposing a broader security threat.
