FBI arrests Harpreet Singh, linked to Punjab terror attacks and international terrorist groups

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in coordination with Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), arrested Harpreet Singh—a U.S.-based alleged terrorist involved in attacks in Punjab—on Friday in Sacramento.

According to the FBI, Singh is linked to two international terrorist groups and had entered the United States illegally. He reportedly used burner phones to avoid detection and evade capture.

In an official post on X, FBI Sacramento stated:

"Today, Harpreet Singh, an alleged terrorist responsible for terror attacks in Punjab, India, was arrested by the FBI and ERO in Sacramento. Linked to two international terrorist groups, he entered the U.S. illegally and used burner phones to evade capture."

On March 23, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against four operatives of the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in connection with the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack. The accused include Pakistan-based designated individual terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda and Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, who is based in the U.S.

According to the NIA, Rinda and Harpreet were the key conspirators behind the grenade attack, which targeted a retired Punjab Police officer. The duo allegedly provided funds, weapons, logistical support, and instructions to their India-based operatives for executing the assault.

Investigators revealed that the two masterminds directed local recruits Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih to conduct reconnaissance missions before carrying out the grenade attack in September 2024. The act was intended to intimidate law enforcement personnel and the general public and advance BKI’s terrorist objectives in India.

All four accused have been charged under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act, and related laws. The chargesheet was filed before the Special NIA Court in Chandigarh under case number RC15/2024/NIA/DLI. Investigations are ongoing as the agency seeks to identify and dismantle the broader BKI network operating within the country.

In December last year, the Punjab Police also cracked down on a Pakistan-ISI-backed BKI module run by Harpreet Singh and his associate Shamsher alias Honey, arresting five members, including mastermind Abhijot Singh. The group had been linked to grenade attacks on police establishments in Batala and Gurdaspur.

(With inputs from ANI)