In what seems to be the beginning of an end, the Khalistan separatist organization Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and its mentor, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency are both finding themselves facing the wrong end of the gun.
The Babbar Khalsa, officially known as Babbar Khalsa International, is a Khalistani militant organization that was raised in 1978 to create an independent homeland for Sikhs in Punjab, called Khalistan, using all sorts of assassinations, bombings, and armed attacks.
A newly forged bond between the FBI and the UP STF has led to the arrest of several BKI operatives both in India and abroad. This development seems to be pushing the nexus between the Babbar Khalsa and ISI to the last stage of premature death.
It all started after Kash Patel, a native of New York with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and history from the University of Richmond, became the ninth Director of the FBI on February 20, 2025. The most recent incident in this chain was the arrest of Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, by the FBI and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in the USA.
Harpreet, a 29-year-old “gangster-turned-terrorist,” is wanted for multiple terror attacks in Punjab. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India had announced a reward of ₹5 lakh for his arrest. He is believed to be the brain behind a grenade attack on a retired Punjab Police officer in Chandigarh in September 2024.
According to intelligence sources, Harpreet is linked to at least 16 major terror incidents in Punjab over the past two years. These include 14 grenade attacks, one improvised explosive device (IED) blast, and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) strike. Harpreet is reportedly linked to 14 of 16 grenade attacks in Punjab over the past seven months, targeting police posts, religious sites, and homes of public figures. The aim is to “spread terror among law enforcement officials and the general public.”
In what appears to be his signature style, a vehicle belonging to a senior police officer was exploded near the Gumtala police post in Amritsar by a modified carburettor-based IED in January 2025. He is suspected to have collaborated with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), the FBI said in a statement.
The agency added that Harpreet had been evading capture by using burner phones and encrypted messaging platforms, making it difficult to trace his whereabouts. Gaurav Yadav, IPS, the Director General of Police, Punjab, described this as a major milestone in the sustained crackdown on ISI-backed terror networks.
Harpreet was also responsible for “orchestrating targeted killings, grenade attacks on police establishments, and extortion across Punjab,” Yadav posted on social media. According to Yadav, Happy Passia is a US-based “key operative of ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)” and a close associate of Pakistan-based designated terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda.
Between 2023-2025 Happy Passia played a central role in orchestrating targeted killings, grenade attacks on police establishments, and extortion across Punjab and other states. His arrest on April 17, 2025, in Sacramento, USA, by the FBI and ICE, is the outcome of excellent international cooperation and exchange of information between the United States and India.
Happy Passia’s criminal journey began with notorious gangster-cum-drug lord Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, who is an accused in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. This is where he met Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, a key figure in BKI’s current operations. Together, they built a terror-extortion module that targeted liquor contractors, businessmen, and Hindu leaders across Punjab.
The duo made extortion calls, carried out arson at liquor vends, and executed targeted shootings to instill fear and raise funds for terrorist activities. According to the Punjab Police dossier, their international associates included Gurdev Singh, Jaisal Pehalwan, Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi Nawanshehria (based in the US), and Germany-based Swaran Singh alias Jeevan Faujia.
The recruitment strategy allegedly used by the Rinda-Passia network was to lure drug-addicted minors into carrying out attacks in exchange for cash and narcotics. The accused left for Dubai in April 2018, returned in February 2019, and again went to the United Kingdom in October 2020, before shifting to the US.
Rinda fled to Pakistan in 2018-19 where he got involved in murder, smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives, and drugs for recruitment of BKI operatives — raising funds through extortions in Punjab and Maharashtra. He along with Happy Passia purportedly masterminded many terrorist activities, including one Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack near the Qila Lal Singh police station in Batala, Punjab, in the intervening night of 6 and 7 April.
Last month, the NIA filed a chargesheet against four alleged BKI operatives, including Rinda, in the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack case. Among those named were Happy Passia, Rohan Masih, and Vishal Masih – the primary handlers and conspirators behind the attack who provided logistical support, funds, weapons, and ammunition to India-based operatives for the grenade attack.
Rohan, the main accused, was arrested from Amritsar on September 13, 2024, in a joint operation between Punjab Police and a central agency. A 9MM Glock pistol was recovered from his possession. Vishal, the second suspect and resident of Batala district in Gurdaspur, was arrested in Delhi on September 15, 2024.
Both Rohan and Vishal are 19-year-old drug addicts and school dropouts. They were apparently influenced by Happy, who reportedly promised them a reward of ₹5 lakh and a ticket to Canada via Dubai for carrying out the attack.
The NIA also conducted searches to track down Happy Passia in Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Bathinda, and Ferozepur districts of Punjab, Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh, Rudrapur district in Uttarakhand, and Chandigarh.
Happy’s arrest is being cited as a special victory for India, which has not received much cooperation in the past while pursuing suspected criminals abroad, especially in the United States, and its extradition requests were rarely honoured.
According to an estimate, India requested at least 60 extraditions from the United States over the past 20 years – most of these were refused. Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act, and other related provisions against four alleged Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives in connection with the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack case.
Among those named in the chargesheet are Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda and Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, besides Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih. The agency registered the case last year following a reference from the Union Home Ministry to investigate the hurling of a hand grenade at a house in Sector 10/D Chandigarh on September 9, 2024, by accused Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, who were later arrested.
Accordding to ADG LO Amitabh Yash, FBI has arrested wanted terrorist Harpreet Singh alias Happy Pasia in America. Recently, UP STF arrested a terrorist named Lajar Masih from Kaushambi who was planning to carry out a terrorist attack during the ongoing Kumbh in Prayagraj. Lajar Masih had given information to STF about Harpreet Singh alias Happy Pasia who works for Babbar Khalsa International and is also involved in terrorist activities. Harpreet alias Happy is also wanted and has a reward of 10 lakhs on his head by NIA. Happy Pasia used to help Babbar Khalsa terrorists in getting logistics. Soon, UP STF will also try to take the investigation forward by contacting international agency through the central government for questioning Happy Pasia.
Another big success in this case is the arrest of Lajar Masih on March 6, 2025, by UP STF in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district.
Lajar Masih had given information to STF about Harpreet Singh alias Happy Pasia, who works for Babbar Khalsa International and is also involved in terrorist activities. Harpreet alias Happy is also wanted and has a reward of ₹10 lakhs on his head by NIA. Happy Pasia used to help Babbar Khalsa terrorists in getting logistics.
Masih, a close confidant of Germany-based BKI operative Swaran Singh, was reportedly in direct contact with Pakistan’s ISI and was planning a major terror attack during the Maha Kumbh. Similarly, Lajar Masih, an active member of Babbar Khalsa, was arrested from Kaushambi district in Uttar Pradesh in a joint operation by the UP STF and Punjab Police.
The security personnel recovered three active hand grenades, two active detonators, a foreign-made pistol, and 13 foreign-made bullets from his possession. Masih had escaped from judicial custody in Punjab on September 24, 2024, and was wanted in multiple criminal cases in the state.
Masih was being remote-controlled by the ISI and was planning to carry out a big attack during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. Several teams of UP STF were given the responsibility of intelligence gathering and operations.
While developing information received from central agencies, Additional Superintendent of Police Lal Pratap Singh and his team received information that Lajar was in close contact with ISI and his handlers, who were providing him with illegal arms and ammunition through drones.
To ensure a smooth operation, Masih’s photograph was obtained from Punjab Police, and a team of Punjab Police was requested to join the UP STF. The operation proved to be a success, and Lajar Masih was arrested on March 6, 2025, at around 03:20 am from a narrow lane in Kokhar area of Kaushambi.
Foreign weapons, hand grenades, gelatin rods, and detonators were recovered from him. This arrest is seen as a significant blow to the BKI’s plans to carry out terrorist activities in India.
The law enforcement agencies’ efforts to crack down on terrorist organizations have been intensified, with a focus on international cooperation and intelligence sharing. The arrest of Happy Passia and Lajar Masih is a testament to the success of this approach.
The extradition of Tahawwur Rana, a 64-year-old Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin accused of plotting the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, to India on April 10, 2025, is another significant development in the fight against terrorism.
Rana faces charges in India for providing logistical support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a banned terrorist organization. He was found guilty in the US for assisting the group, and India has been seeking his extradition for a long time.
The US President’s approval of Rana’s extradition to India to “face justice” for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks is seen as a significant step in the fight against terrorism. With Harpreet in FBI custody, the Indian authorities have initiated the extradition process.
The Punjab Police and NIA have already sent the necessary paperwork to their US counterparts. The BKI, one of the oldest and most organized Khalistan terrorist groups, has been designated as an international terrorist organization and banned in several countries, including India, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Malaysia, and the European Union.
Its mission is to revive terrorism in the Indian Punjab. The outfit is currently active in the USA, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, and Pakistan. Some of its high-profile terrorist acts include the assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh on August 31, 1995, and the bomb blast that killed 11 civilians and injured 39 in Punjab in 1990.
The BKI also has strong links with Dawood Ibrahim, the Indian underworld don now residing in Karachi. Dawood Ibrahim’s men in Mumbai help them dispose of stolen goods to generate money that helps procure arms and ammunition.
The BKI’s connections with other terrorist organizations and its plans to carry out attacks in India pose a significant threat to national security. The law enforcement agencies’ efforts to crack down on these organizations and bring perpetrators to justice are crucial in preventing future attacks and ensuring the safety and security of citizens.
According to intelligence sources, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Javed Nasir, a former chief of the ISI, has been made Chairman of Pakistan Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (PGPC). One of his roles is to supervise the activities of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), which has been given the task of reviving terrorism in Punjab.
Towards this end, the LeT has opened at least eight camps in Pakistan to train Khalistani terrorists. The LeT imparts military training to groups like BKI, the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), and the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), among others.
A joint committee has been formed in Germany to coordinate the activities of major terrorist organizations abroad. Prominent leaders of this committee include Gurdial Singh Lalli of the ISYF, Resham Singh of Babbar Khalsa, and Harmeet Singh of Kamagata Maru Dal of Khalistan.
The BKI’s international connections and support network pose a significant challenge to Indian law enforcement agencies. However, the recent arrests and extraditions demonstrate the government’s commitment to tackling terrorism and ensuring national security.
The success of these operations depends on continued international cooperation and intelligence sharing between countries. India’s law enforcement agencies will need to stay vigilant and proactive in identifying and disrupting terrorist plots to prevent future attacks.
Overall, the crackdown on BKI operatives and other terrorist organizations is a significant step towards ensuring peace and security in the region. The government’s efforts to strengthen national security and prevent terrorism will continue to be crucial in the face of evolving threats.
The government’s efforts to strengthen national security and prevent terrorism will continue to be crucial in the face of evolving threats. The recent arrests and extraditions demonstrate the effectiveness of international cooperation in tackling terrorism.
As the threat landscape continues to evolve, law enforcement agencies will need to stay ahead of the curve, leveraging technology and intelligence to identify and disrupt terrorist plots. The fight against terrorism requires sustained efforts and cooperation between countries to ensure peace and security.
In conclusion, the crackdown on BKI operatives and other terrorist organizations is a significant step towards ensuring national security. The government’s commitment to tackling terrorism and the cooperation between international law enforcement agencies will be crucial in preventing future attacks and keeping citizens safe.
