Did the Neemrana Hotel Attack Uncover Khalistani Terrorism Links?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- NIA conducts extensive searches to uncover links to Khalistani terrorism.
- The hotel attack involved 35 shots fired to instill fear.
- Attackers identified as members of the Bambiah gang.
- Connections to international terror networks are being explored.
- Extortion tactics are being used to fund terrorist activities.
New Delhi, May 5 (NationPress) Investigating the 2024 Neemrana hotel shooting incident in Rajasthan, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) executed searches across 10 locations in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi to trace the connection to Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dalla, an official reported on Monday.
The incident, which involved 35 shots fired on September 8 last year, was intended to instill fear among the public, according to the NIA.
The attackers were identified as members of the Bambiah gang, linked to Dalla’s criminal network, who employed illegal firearms and threatened the hotel’s owner and manager with extortion. The manager had previously received numerous threatening calls from international numbers.
During Saturday's searches, the NIA, which assumed responsibility for the case in December, confiscated various electronic devices and other evidence from individuals suspected of engaging in violent criminal activities.
These suspects are believed to have provided financial and logistical support for acts of violence and terror under the directives of designated terrorist Arsh Dalla and his associate Dinesh Gandhi, according to the NIA.
Investigations have revealed that Dalla’s associates resort to extortion through acts of terror to fund banned Khalistani terrorist groups. Businessmen and other targets are identified by these gangsters, who coerce them into paying substantial sums.
On May 1, the NIA also conducted searches linked to gangster Happy Passian, associated with Khalistani terrorist Harwinder Singh @ Rinda, across various locations in Punjab related to the conspiracy of Babbar Khalsa International operatives.
A total of 17 locations were scrutinized in districts including Gurdaspur, Batala, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, and Faridkot, leading to the recovery of various incriminating items, including mobile phones, digital devices, and documents.
The searches targeted suspects linked to Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passian, and his network based in several countries. Harpreet Singh is currently in the US and is a significant operative of Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Rinda.
Harpreet Singh is believed to orchestrate a series of recent grenade attacks at police stations and posts in Punjab and Haryana.
The network of Rinda’s operatives, which spans multiple countries, has been actively recruiting India-based associates to carry out terrorist activities, as per NIA findings.