Lawrence Bishnoi gang link: Rajasthan Police arrests suspects for plotting Independence Day blasts in Delhi, Gwalior

The Rajasthan Police has arrested several individuals allegedly involved in planning terror attacks in Delhi and Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, on the occasion of Independence Day, August 15. The development was reported by The Indian Express, citing officials familiar with the investigation. According to Additional Director General of Police (Crime Branch) Dinesh MN, the accused were wanted in connection with a July 7 blast in Nawanshahr, Punjab, and had been operating under the guidance of international handlers.

Arrests linked to Nawanshahr blast

Those detained include Jitendra Chaudhary, a resident of Tonk; Sanjay, from Hanumangarh district; and Sonu alias Kali, a native of Kapurthala, Punjab. In addition, three minors were also taken into custody. The arrests were made last week from Jaipur and Tonk districts. All six individuals were later handed over to the Special Operation Cell of the Punjab Police in Amritsar.

According to the ADG, the accused are linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which was allegedly involved in hurling a grenade outside a liquor shop in Nawanshahr as part of an extortion plot. Following the attack, the suspects fled to Rajasthan. A case was registered by the Punjab Police under sections 49, 55, and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act.

Arrest operation and interrogation details

A team led by Siddhant Sharma, Additional Superintendent of Police with the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), was dispatched to the Jaipur and Ajmer ranges. “The team concealed its identity and, without caring for their lives, worked hard to collect intelligence about the wanted and arrested them on August 10,” Dinesh MN said.

Upon interrogation, it was revealed that the accused were in contact with Lawrence Bishnoi gang handler Zeeshan Akhtar, who is based in Canada and has allegedly taken responsibility for the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique in Mumbai.

Online links and further connections

Authorities stated that Zeeshan Akhtar, along with Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) member Manu Agwan, and Gopi Nawanshahria, are believed to be working in coordination. “They carry out criminal activities in different parts of the country and contact local youth by luring them with money to commit the crime,” the ADG said.

He added that the accused were connected to Akhtar through Instagram and other online platforms. Akhtar allegedly provided grenades used in the Nawanshahr blast and instructed the accused to carry out similar attacks in Delhi and Gwalior on Independence Day.

International angle remains under investigation

In June, Mumbai Police reported that Zeeshan Akhtar had been detained in Canada in connection with the murder case of Baba Siddique. However, his current status and the progress of the case remain unclear.