Punjab Police on Tuesday claimed to have dismantled an alleged terror network with the arrest of 17 people and said investigators had uncovered a suspected conspiracy to target a passenger train running between Ferozepur and Jammu using an improvised explosive device (IED).
The arrests emerged from an investigation into the grenade attack on the Sadar police station in Moga earlier this month, which police said was not an isolated incident but part of a larger network allegedly operating with the support of an overseas-based handler.
Addressing the media, Faridkot Range Inspector General of Police (IGP) Neelambari Jagadale Vijay said investigators had traced the operation to Iqbal Singh alias Ravi Dhaliwal, a native of Punjab who is currently residing in the United Kingdom. According to the police officer, the accused allegedly coordinated the activities of the module from abroad while local operatives were tasked with carrying out attacks in Punjab.
Police said the investigation indicated that members of the network had allegedly planned to plant an IED on the Ferozepur-Jammu train. Officials maintained that the plot was detected at an early stage and neutralised before any explosive device could be placed on the railway route, preventing what they described as a potentially serious security incident.
The probe was launched after unidentified persons allegedly hurled a low-intensity grenade inside the premises of the Sadar police station in Moga at around 3.15 a.m. on July 8. While the explosion caused concern, it also prompted an extensive investigation involving intelligence gathering, technical surveillance and coordinated field operations across multiple locations.
Police said the inquiry eventually led investigators to three alleged executors of the grenade attack. Gagan alias Kali, Rajesh alias Khanna and Shubham alias Bhinder. Their questioning, officials said, helped investigators piece together the wider network and identify several others suspected of providing logistical assistance, shelter and operational support.
During the course of the investigation, police arrested a total of 17 suspects. Among those whose alleged roles surfaced during the probe are Kuljit Kaur, Lazar alias Aman and Praveen Kaur, while investigators said further inquiries are underway to establish the full extent of the network and identify any additional associates.
Officials said several exhibits believed to be linked to the case were recovered during the operation, including an improvised explosive device (IED), a 9 mm Glock pistol with a magazine and a Hero Splendor motorcycle allegedly used by members of the module. The recovered material has been sent for forensic examination, while investigators are analysing digital and technical evidence collected during the raids.
Police have invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against the accused. All 17 arrested persons have been produced before the court, and police have obtained custodial remand to continue questioning them regarding the alleged conspiracy, funding channels, communication links and possible cross-border or overseas connections.
The police said the investigation remains in progress and is focused on determining whether the alleged module had planned additional attacks or maintained links with other operatives. Officials added that further arrests and recoveries could not be ruled out as investigators continue to examine evidence gathered during the operation.
The development comes as Punjab Police has intensified its crackdown on organised crime and terror-linked networks under its ongoing campaign against gangsters and extremist elements, with investigators increasingly examining the role of overseas-based handlers in directing criminal and terror-related activities within the state.
