Security Agencies Bust ISI-Backed Shahzad Bhatti Network, Foil Independence Day Disruption Plot
Security agencies have launched a sweeping multi-state operation against the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network, an outfit described by official sources as being backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and say they have foiled an alleged bid to disturb Independence Day celebrations.
The crackdown, carried out across 14 states, led to 253 detentions, more than 80 first information reports (FIRs) and over 200 arrests of members and associates linked to the network, according to the sources. Officials said the action was part of the government’s declared zero-tolerance approach to cross-border terrorism and was driven by intelligence inputs that pointed to possible attempts to create unrest around August 15.
The operation was launched on August 12 and involved coordinated action between central security agencies and state police forces, with intelligence being shared in real time as the searches and detentions unfolded. Authorities said the aim was not only to prevent any immediate disruption but also to map the broader support structure allegedly enabling the network to function across state lines.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed the operation, calling it a major action against the ISI-backed network and saying the coordinated effort had disrupted its plans for subversive activity ahead of Independence Day.
According to security agencies, the Shahzad Bhatti Network is suspected of involvement in a range of violent activities, including grenade attacks, improvised explosive device (IED) strikes, petrol bomb attacks and targeted killings. Investigators also believe the group has relied on local operatives for reconnaissance of police, defence and religious sites, suggesting a wider intelligence-gathering and surveillance role alongside the attacks themselves.
During the investigations, agencies recovered items they believe were linked to the network’s operational and surveillance activities. These included IEDs, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live cartridges and CCTV cameras allegedly used for espionage-related purposes.
Officials further alleged that members of the network, along with local conduits, were involved in installing CCTV cameras at sensitive locations to monitor movement and assist in intelligence gathering. The findings, they said, pointed to a pattern of surveillance support that may have been used to prepare or facilitate attacks.
The largest number of detentions came from Uttar Pradesh, where 62 people were taken into custody. Haryana followed with 52 detentions, Delhi with 51 and Punjab with 44. Rajasthan accounted for 15 detentions, while Maharashtra recorded eight and Uttarakhand five.
Elsewhere, Karnataka, Gujarat and Bihar reported three detentions each. Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala recorded two detentions each, reflecting the wide geographic spread of the operation and the scale of the coordination involved.
Security agencies said the crackdown underlined the growing reliance on intelligence-led counter-terrorism operations aimed at networks suspected of operating across state and international boundaries. The focus, they added, is now on identifying any remaining associates, tracing funding channels and understanding the local support infrastructure allegedly linked to the network.
Investigations are continuing into the Shahzad Bhatti Network’s alleged links, its operational structure and the channels through which it may have sustained its activities. Authorities are also working to ensure that any further attempts to disrupt public order or target sensitive locations are detected and prevented in time.
