Security Agencies Crack Down on Shahzad Bhatti Network Across 14 States

Amit Shah said in a post on X that more than 200 operatives had been arrested and alleged that the network had been funded by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.

Indian security agencies have carried out a coordinated crackdown on the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN), detaining 253 people across 14 states as part of an operation launched ahead of Independence Day to disrupt suspected plans for attacks and dismantle the network's presence in the country.

According to the government, more than 80 FIRs and over 200 arrests have cumulatively been recorded in cases linked to SBN under laws including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Arms Act, NDPS Act and Explosive Substances Act. Union Home Minister Amit Shah described SBN as an ISI-backed network and said the coordinated action demonstrated the government's "zero-tolerance" approach towards cross-border terrorism.

August 12 Operation Spreads Across 14 States

The large-scale operation was conducted on August 12 using real-time intelligence sharing between security agencies and state police forces, allowing teams in different parts of the country to act in coordination against people suspected of having links with the network.

Uttar Pradesh accounted for 62 detentions, followed by Haryana with 52, Delhi with 51 and Punjab with 44. Rajasthan recorded 15 detentions, Maharashtra eight and Uttarakhand five, while Karnataka, Gujarat and Bihar reported three each. Two people each were detained in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala, with fresh FIRs also registered in Delhi and Karnataka.

The operation was carried out amid concerns about possible disruptive activities around Independence Day, a period when security agencies maintain heightened vigilance around sensitive locations and major public events.

Weapons, Explosives and Surveillance Equipment Recovered

Authorities said searches connected with cases against the network have resulted in the recovery of improvised explosive devices, grenades carrying Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols and live cartridges. CCTV cameras allegedly installed for espionage purposes were also among the items recovered, according to the government.

Security agencies have described SBN as a Pakistan-based syndicate allegedly connected with grenade, IED and petrol bomb attacks as well as targeted killings in India. Investigators also accuse the network of paying local contacts to conduct reconnaissance around police, defence and religious locations and install cameras to collect surveillance footage.

The government says the nature of the recovered material and the network's alleged funding arrangements point towards cross-border connections, while individual cases will proceed under the relevant criminal and national security laws.

Agencies Plan Continued Action Against SBN Links

Amit Shah said in a post on X that more than 200 operatives had been arrested and alleged that the network had been funded by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. He credited coordinated operations across multiple locations with disrupting plans for subversive attacks ahead of Independence Day.

The scale of the action also shows the importance being placed on rapid intelligence exchange between central security agencies and state police forces when suspected networks operate across several jurisdictions. Coordinating information in real time can help investigators connect cases, movements and suspected local contacts that might otherwise appear unrelated when examined within individual states.

Security agencies have said operations against suspected SBN-linked networks will continue across the country as authorities work to identify remaining connections, examine recovered material and investigate alleged financing, reconnaissance and weapons-related activities.