14 states, 253 detained: Inside police crackdown on Shahzad Bhatti network

In the days leading up to India's Independence Day, security forces launched a massive nationwide operation targeting a notorious terror network allegedly linked to Shahzad Bhatti. The crackdown resulted in the arrest of 253 individuals across 14 states, with authorities seizing explosives, firearms, and surveillance equipment. Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed the operation, carried out on August 12 in coordination with state police forces, was a significant victory against a "zero-tolerance" policy towards terrorism.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the operation aimed to prevent alleged SBN-linked disruptions and attacks around the Independence Day celebrations. The detained individuals were spread across various states, with Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi each holding the highest number of arrests. The Shahzad Bhatti Network is believed to be a Pakistan-based terror group supported by the ISI and linked to grenade, improvised explosive device (IED), and petrol bomb attacks, targeted killings, and surveillance of sensitive sites.

The network allegedly recruited young individuals through social media and supplied arms to various countries. Bhatti, who reportedly travels between Dubai and Pakistan, faces charges related to bomb-making and illegal arms supply. The network is also suspected in a grenade attack at YouTuber Rozer Sandhu's residence in Jalandhar and a threat against actor Mithun Chakraborty.