Secu ity
age cies
a ested
253
alleged
ope atives
ac oss
14
states,
foili g
the
ISI-backed
Shahzad
Bhatti
Netwo k’s
pla s
fo
attacks
a ou d
I depe de ce
Day.
NEW
DELHI:
I
a
majo
c ackdow
o
te o
ahead
of
I depe de ce
Day,
secu ity
age cies
have
busted
the
ISI-backed
Shahzad
Bhatti
Netwo k
(SBN)
active
i
the
cou t y,
a esti g
253
ope atives
i
ove
80
FIRs
egiste ed
ac oss
14
states
a d
thwa ti g
the
etwo k’s
pla s
to
ca y
out
subve sive
attacks
a ou d
August
15.Pakista i-based
ga gste -te o ist
Shahzad
Bhatti,
who
is
popula
o
social
media,
u s
a
etwo k
that
scouts
o li e
fo
“vul e able”
Muslim
youths
ac oss
I dia
who
may
belo g
to
low-i come
g oups,
a e
‘disg u tled’
o
e gagi g
i
d ug
abuse;
adicalises
them;
a d
the eafte
gives
them
tasks
like
espio age,
eco aissa ce
of
pote tial
ta gets,
collect
a d
t a spo t
a ms
se t
via
d o es
f om
Pakista
a d
e gage
i
attacks
th ough
use
of
fi ea ms
a d
g e ades.
The
253
pe so s
a ested
i
coo di ated
ope atio s
ac oss
multiple
locatio s
i
14
states,
a e
I dia
youths
ec uited
by
SBN
to
fome t
t ouble
a ou d
i
thei
ow
cou t y.To
cou te
SBN-li ked
dis uptio s
pla ed
a ou d
I depe de ce
Day,
a
coo di ated
multi-state
ope atio
was
ca ied
out
o
August
12
usi g
a
eal-time
i tellige ce-sha i g
system
with
state
police
fo ces.
Of
the
253
dete tio s
made
ac oss
14
states,
62
we e
i
Utta
P adesh;
52
i
Ha ya a;
51
i
Delhi;
44
i
Pu jab;
15
i
Rajastha ;
8
i
Maha asht a;
5
i
Utta akha d;
th ee
each
i
Ka ataka,
Guja at
a d
Biha ;
a d
two
each
i
Tela ga a,
Himachal
P adesh,
J&K
a d
Ke ala
—
with
f esh
FIRs
egiste ed
i
Delhi
a d
Ka ataka.
Home
mi iste
Amit
Shah
posted
o
X
o
Mo day:
“Modi
govt
dest oyed
the
ISI-backed
te o
g oup
Shahzad
Bhatti
Netwo k
ahead
of
I depe de ce
Day
a d
thwa ted
its
pla s
fo
subve sive
attacks
by
a esti g
mo e
tha
200
ope atives.
I dia
secu ity
fo ces
ipped
apa t
the
etwo k
by
lau chi g
coo di ated
ope atio s
ac oss
diffe e t
locatio s
i
14
states,
upholdi g
(a)
b illia t
example
of
I dia’s
ze o-tole a ce
towa ds
te o ism”.Shah
added
that
the
substa tial
ecove ies
made
f om
the
ope atives
of
the
ISI-fu ded
g oup
a d
thei
hideouts
i clude
IEDs,
g e ades
bea i g
Pakista
O d a ce
Facto y
ma ki gs,
pistols,
live
ca t idges
a d
CCTV
came as
used
fo
espio age.
“The
etwo k
was
i volved
i
seve al
te o ist
activities,”
he
sha ed.
Joi
co ve satio
All
Comme ts
→
Sha e
you
thoughts
i
the
comme ts
I sightful
Readi g
Developme t
Comme t
Be
espectful
·
TOI
commu ity
guideli es
MHA
i
a
stateme t
said
that
SBN
is
a
Pakista i-based,
ISI-backed
sy dicate
li ked
to
g e ade,
IED
a d
pet ol
bomb
attacks
a d
ta geted
killi gs
ac oss
I dia.
It
has
also
bee
payi g
local
co duits
to
ecce
police,
defe ce
a d
eligious
sites,
a d
to
i stall
CCTV
came as
fo
espio age,
added
the
mi ist y.Cumulatively,
ove
80
FIRs
a d
200-plus
a ests
have
bee
eco ded
agai st
SBN
u de
UAPA,
BNS,
the
A ms
Act,
NDPS
Act
a d
Explosive
Substa ces
Act.
Recove y
of
g e ades
bea i g
Pakista
O d a ce
Facto y
ma ki gs
co fi m
the
etwo k’s
di ect
c oss-bo de
li ks.”Secu ity
age cies
eaffi m
govt
of
I dia’s
ze o
tole a ce
fo
c oss-bo de
te o
a d
co ti ued
coo di ated
actio
to
disma tle
SBN’s
etwo ks
atio wide,”
said
the
home
mi ist y.