Over 200 operatives linked to ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti gang arrested ahead of I-Day: Amit Shah
Indian security agencies have arrested over 200 operatives linked to the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti network in a nationwide counter-terror operation. The crackdown, which involved 14 states, was intended to prevent subversive activities ahead of Independence Day.
Why it matters
This operation highlights the ongoing security challenges related to cross-border terrorism and the government's focus on intelligence-led counter-terrorism.
In a major counter-terror operation ahead of Independence Day, security agencies dismantled the Pakistan-based, ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network, detaining 253 people across 14 States and arresting more than 200 operatives linked to the syndicate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday (August 17, 2026).
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Shahzad Bhatti Network has been linked to grenade attacks, improvised explosive device (IED) blasts, petrol bomb incidents and targeted killings in various parts of the country. Investigators said the syndicate paid local operatives to conduct reconnaissance of police establishments, defence installations and religious sites, besides installing CCTV cameras to facilitate surveillance.
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