The National Investigation Agency (NIA), India’s anti-terror agency, on Wednesday conducted raids at 122 locations across six states as part of its crackdown on an alleged network linking gangsters, drug smugglers, and terror groups based in foreign countries.
According to media reports, the raids were conducted in a few suspected houses in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh states.
The NIA raids started simultaneously at all the locations at around 4 a.m. (IST) in close coordination with state police forces.
The raids were conducted until Wednesday afternoon in connection with three separate cases lodged by the NIA last year against Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa, Pakistan-based gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda and US-based Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who is the founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), and others supporting the Khalistan (separate independent homeland for Sikhs) movement.
“Searches are on in connection with three cases registered by NIA. The raids and searches are part of the crackdown against organized criminal syndicates and networks, top gangsters, and their criminal and business associates based in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra,” an NIA official told the media.
He further added that the investigation would continue to bust up terror networks as well as their funding and support infrastructure.
In February this year, the investigation agency conducted raids at houses of people suspected to be in contact with gangsters in Haryana, Punjab, and Chandigarh union territory, while a chargesheet has also been filed in two out of three cases.
“A number of criminal gangs active in north India are now being operated from Dubai, and pro-Khalistan organizations are using their networks for executing unlawful activities on lines similar to that of the underworld in the 1990s. Fugitives, such as Arsh Dala and Gaurav Patial, who are based in foreign countries, are in touch with the pro-Khalistan elements lodged in Indian jails and other countries to carry out targeted killings, extortion and terror acts. It has also come to light that jails have been the place where the crime-terror nexus firmed up,” the NIA charge sheet read.
Notably, the country’s top anti-terror agency has so far arrested 30 gangsters and their associates over the last seven months after raiding over 200 locations and hideouts in seven states.
Moreover, 13 properties have been seized, 95 bank accounts have been frozen and 20 lookout circulars against criminals and terrorists have been issued.