Delhi Police Arrests Khalistani Militant Connected To Punjab Police Station Grenade Attack

The Special Cell of Delhi Police has successfully apprehended a suspected Khalistani militant with established connections to the Babbar Khalsa International terror organization. The arrested individual, identified as Karanvir, was actively sought by law enforcement authorities for his alleged involvement in the grenade attack targeting the Qila Lal Singh Police Station located in Batala, Punjab, which occurred on April 7.

The arrest follows the recent detention of Karanvir's associate, Akashdeep, who was also linked to the same terror group and was captured in Delhi just days earlier while allegedly engaged in weapons distribution activities within the national capital. During intensive interrogation sessions, investigators discovered that Akashdeep had provided crucial assistance to the attackers who executed the grenade assault near the Punjab police facility.

The investigation revealed that the Batala police station attack was part of a broader pattern of retaliatory violence orchestrated by militant groups. One day following the grenade incident, the Babbar Khalsa International organization publicly claimed responsibility for the attack through social media channels, explicitly stating that the assault was conducted as retaliation for a December 2024 encounter that took place in Pilibhit.

The Pilibhit encounter, which served as the catalyst for the subsequent attacks, involved a coordinated operation between Uttar Pradesh and Punjab Police forces that resulted in the elimination of three individuals allegedly connected to another grenade attack on the Bakshiwala police station in Gurdaspur. This earlier incident had also raised significant security concerns in the region.

Intelligence sources indicate that the three individuals killed during the Pilibhit operation were believed to be active operatives of the Khalistan Zindabad Force, another militant organization suspected of orchestrating multiple attacks against law enforcement facilities. The same group is also under investigation for a separate grenade attack on a police outpost in Punjab that occurred in November 2024.

The arrests highlight the ongoing security challenges posed by Khalistani militant groups operating across state boundaries and their apparent strategy of targeting law enforcement infrastructure in retaliation for counter-terrorism operations. The coordination between various police forces and intelligence agencies has proven crucial in tracking down these suspects who frequently move between different states to avoid detection.

The Special Cell's operation demonstrates the effectiveness of inter-state cooperation in combating terrorism, particularly in cases where militant networks span multiple jurisdictions. The successful arrests of both Karanvir and Akashdeep represent significant progress in dismantling the operational capabilities of these terror groups and preventing future attacks against security installations.

Law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the broader network of associates and supporters who may have facilitated these attacks, while also working to prevent any potential retaliatory actions that might be planned in response to these arrests. The case underscores the persistent threat posed by extremist groups and the ongoing need for vigilant security measures to protect public safety and law enforcement personnel.