The Delhi Police’s Special Cell has dismantled a cross-border, ISI-backed terror-crime syndicate, arresting seven operatives and foiling a major plot to launch targeted attacks across Delhi-NCR. Orchestrated from Pakistan by gangster-turned-terrorists Shahzad Bhatti and Ajmal Gujjar, the network used social media to radicalise and recruit vulnerable Indian youth. These recruits were tasked with conducting reconnaissance on sensitive installations and prominent religious leaders to incite communal tension.
Security agencies successfully tracked the ring across multiple states, seizing a cache of sophisticated weapons, ammunition, encrypted mobile phones, and a vehicle used to smuggle narcotics and firearms. While the police have successfully neutralised the immediate threat, investigations continue alongside central agencies to trace the network’s broader financial and logistical roots.
The Digital Trap: Crowdsourcing Terror on Social Media
The syndicate weaponised digital platforms to locate and lure its operatives. Moving away from traditional recruitment channels, Bhatti and Gujjar actively used popular social media platforms like Instagram and Telegram. They published content glorifying a lifestyle of gun culture, gang violence, and easy money. Local youths who interacted with these accounts were systematically targeted.
Many of the recruits were initially involved in minor local crimes, such as illegal money-lending and using firearms to intimidate borrowers. The handlers exploited their economic vulnerabilities, enticing them with promises of quick financial gains. Once onboarded, the communication shifted to heavily encrypted messaging apps to avoid detection by intelligence agencies.
Modus Operandi: Drones, Dead-Drops, and Scorpio Transports
The network operated as a hybrid model where organized crime directly funded and facilitated terrorism. The group relied heavily on technology and decentralized logistics to move contraband across tightly monitored state lines. Sophisticated, foreign-made semi-automatic pistols and high-grade narcotics like heroin were smuggled from Pakistan into Punjab using automated night drones.
To eliminate human contact and minimise the risk of betrayal, handlers used a dead-drop system. Consignments were left at precise GPS coordinates for local couriers to retrieve. Once picked up, the contraband was loaded into a Mahindra Scorpio SUV equipped with hidden compartments. It was then driven from Punjab to safe houses in Loni, Ghaziabad, and Delhi-NCR for distribution.
The Arrests and Criminal Backgrounds
A series of coordinated raids by the Eastern Range of the Special Cell led to the arrest of seven individuals. The profiles of the arrested operatives reveal a dangerous intersection between local gangsters and cross-border handlers. The primary arrestee was twenty-six-year-old Mohit, also known as Yogi, who worked as a local weapon courier.
He was caught in Yamuna Vihar carrying a foreign-made pistol and live ammunition, serving as a direct operational link to his Pakistani handler, Ajmal Gujjar. Alongside him, twenty-six-year-old Anas Tyagi managed the digital infrastructure, using encrypted channels to connect active criminals and jail inmates with handlers across the border.
The procurement of heavy weaponry was managed from behind bars by thirty-eight-year-old Deepak Agrola, a hardened gangster currently facing twenty-three criminal cases, including murder and dacoity. The financial backing for these operations came from thirty-year-old Arif, a local money lender who paid up to ₹1 Lakh per Pakistani firearm to fund initial arms shipments. The operational logistics on the ground were managed by a dedicated team of handlers.
Twenty-six-year-old Karanveer Singh oversaw the physical retrieval and transport of drone payloads from the Punjab border. The surveillance and mapping of targets were executed by twenty-nine-year-old Jatan, who filmed crowded spaces and religious sites, while thirty-year-old Sabir managed the safe houses and cash routing to keep the network running smoothly.
Foiling the Flashpoint
The primary objective of the cross-border handlers was to disrupt peace and stability in the capital. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Narra Chaitanya, the arrested operatives had already completed video reconnaissance of several crowded public spaces, strategic installations, and high-profile religious leaders.
The collected footage and geographical data had been sent back to Pakistan to finalise a blueprint for coordinated strikes. Investigators noted that the underlying motive behind selecting religious figures as targets was to deliberately provoke widespread panic and incite communal disharmony across the region.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The exposure of this cross-border syndicate is a stark reminder of how easily young minds can be manipulated through digital spaces. While we commend the Delhi Police Special Cell for their swift intervention that saved lives, the deeper issue requires more than just security enforcement. Seeing young individuals trade their futures for the hollow thrill of gun culture and quick monetary gains shows an urgent need for collective social responsibility.
As a society, we must actively counter the glorification of violence on social media by fostering environments rooted in empathy, dialogue, and positive community engagement. True progress can only be achieved when we protect our youth from radical forces and guide them toward a shared culture of peace, harmony, and legal coexistence.
#DelhiPolice Special Cell has busted a Pakistan ISI-backed international terror-crime module allegedly operated by gangster-turned-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti and Ajmal Gujjar. @DelhiPolice says the syndicate was involved in the smuggling of illegal arms, ammunition and narcotic… pic.twitter.com/JptVotPwWw
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) June 16, 2026
