The Particular Cell of Delhi Police has busted a “Pakistan-backed apprehension module” led by gangster Shahzad Bhatti from across the border, with the arrest of three men, officers stated on Sunday, November 30.
“The module was as soon as inquisitive just a few November 25 grenade attack outdoors the metropolis police location in Punjab’s Gurdaspur, which was as soon as utilized on Bhatti’s instructions,” ACP Pramod Singh Kushwah said, as per news agency PTI.
“Bhatti has been coordinating operations from Pakistan using encrypted platforms and social media channels,” he added. No major damage was caused by the blast, which local police at first linked to a “burst tyre”.
Who is Shahzad Bhatti?
Shahzad Bhatti, who is known to be extremely savvy with social media, made headlines in India last year too, after it came to light that Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, lodged in a Gujarat jail, purportedly video-called him to give Eid wishes. That video had gone viral.
More recently, though, their relations appear to have soured. Lawrence’s younger brother Anmol Bishnoi, recently extradited from the US, has said he could be murdered by Bhatti’s men in India.
Also this month, after a grenade was thrown at the gates of a police station at Rania in Haryana’s Sirsa district, Shahbaz Bhatti claimed responsibility for it. He said in a Facebook post that the police station “supported” his rival Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Shahzad Bhatti ‘behind’ attack on police station
For the Gurdaspur blast, the three men arrested by Delhi Police are: Vikas Prajapati alias Betu, 19, of Datia in Madhya Pradesh; Hargunpreet Singh alias Gurkaranpreet Singh, 19, from Ferozpure in Punjab; and Asif alias Arish, 22, from Bijnaur in Uttar Pradesh.
Police seized a semi-automatic pistol, 10 live cartridges, and mobile phones containing “incriminating chats and reconnaissance videos” from them.
The ACP said a breakthrough came from a team tracking Bhatti’s activities, including his online communications. It was found that Prajapati, wanted in an arms-smuggling case, was in frequent contact with Bhatti on social media.
Prajapati’s location kept shifting between Gurdaspur and Delhi, with Bhatti frequently instructing him to switch off his cellphone to avoid tracking, the officer said.
‘Lured with money, social media glory’
Prajapati allegedly told the police that he contacted Bhatti through social media after being influenced by his online persona. “Prajapati was arrested in Madhya Pradesh after a two-day manhunt. His interrogation revealed the module’s modus operandi,” the ACP stated.
“Bhatti and his Pakistan-based entirely associates targeted younger Indians on social media, luring them with money and an aura of gangster glorification,” the ACP stated.
The Bhatti gang selected the recruits by scanning their on-line profiles, organized funds digitally, and aged them as “disposable foot troopers for apprehension strikes”, the officer stated.
Bhatti allegedly aged Prajapati to receive an fingers parcel in Gurdaspur, which contained a grenade.
On Bhatti’s instructions, Prajapati performed a recce of the Gurdaspur Metropolis police location, and the Metropolis Hall police location in Amritsar, earlier than handing over the grenade to Hargunpreet Singh and his partner.
At some stage in questioning, Hargunpreet allegedly confessed that he utilized the grenade attack on November 25 outdoors the Gurdaspur police location whereas riding pillion on a bike driven by an partner.
The third accused, Asif, was as soon as also recruited via social media and had been advised to put collectively for but some other grenade attack in Punjab, for which Bhatti shared house maps and photos with him, the officer stated.
Shahzad Bhatti’s Bishnoi gang connection
Last yr, a video purportedly showing gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail since August 2023, talking to Pakistan-based entirely Shahzad Bhatti on a video name went viral.
Lawrence Bishnoi, who is from the Indian Punjab province, is the alleged mastermind in singer Sidhu Moosewala’s extinguish in Might per chance 2022, apart from other circumstances similar to firing at actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai house.
Within the 19-2nd video, Bishnoi was as soon as purportedly considered extending Eid needs on a video name to Bhatti. Police later stated the clip may per chance presumably be from over all but again, when he was as soon as in a penitentiary outdoors Gujarat.
(with PTI inputs)
