Punjab Police deport two KZF operatives from Malaysia in anti-terror op
Synopsis
Punjab Police have pulled off a cross-border counter-terror success, securing the deportation of two KZF operatives from Malaysia who allegedly bankrolled railway freight corridor bombings in Punjab. With an RPG, RDX, and offshore terror funds already in the picture, the case exposes the depth of Khalistani transnational networks — and how far Punjab Police are now reaching to dismantle them.
Key Takeaways
Punjab Police , with Central agencies and the Royal Malaysia Police , deported two KZF operatives from Malaysia on 19 June 2025 .
The accused — Gurwinder Singh (Ambala) and Manjeet Singh (Patiala) — allegedly channelled terror funds through offshore accounts to KZF operatives in Punjab.
The duo is linked to a module behind the IED blast near Sirhind on 23 January and an attempted explosion near Shambhu on 27 April .
Earlier arrests in the case yielded an RPG launcher , RDX , an IED , hand grenades, and pistols with ammunition.
Both accused were produced in a Patiala court on 18 June and remanded to police custody; investigations are ongoing.
Punjab Police, in coordination with Central intelligence agencies and the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), have secured the deportation of two wanted operatives linked to the banned Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) from Malaysia, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav announced on Friday, 19 June. The two men were intercepted upon landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI Airport) in New Delhi and subsequently transferred to Punjab for interrogation.
Who Was Deported
The deported individuals have been identified as Gurwinder Singh of Ambala and Manjeet Singh of Patiala. Both were described by police as key Malaysia-based operatives of a KZF-backed terror module that had been targeting critical railway infrastructure in Punjab, specifically the dedicated freight corridor network.
According to DGP Yadav, the two accused were instrumental in channelling terror funds through offshore accounts to KZF operatives in Punjab, facilitating plans to execute attacks and destabilise public order in the state.
The Terror Module Behind Railway Blasts
The deportation is the latest development in an investigation that began after Punjab Police busted a terror module responsible for two attacks on railway freight corridor infrastructure. The first was an IED blast on the freight corridor line near Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib on 23 January. The second was an attempted explosion on the same corridor near Shambhu in Patiala district on 27 April.
During those earlier arrests, police recovered a significant cache of militant hardware, including an RPG launcher, an IED, RDX, hand grenades, and high-end pistols with ammunition. Four accused were arrested in that phase of the operation.
Transnational Conspiracy Unravelled
Subsequent investigation revealed that the operational and financial threads of the conspiracy ran through Malaysia, with KZF handlers and financial facilitators coordinating from there. It was this transnational dimension that prompted Punjab Police to work with Central agencies and the RMP to secure the deportation of the two operatives.
This comes amid sustained efforts by Indian security agencies to dismantle overseas terror financing networks linked to Khalistani outfits. The KZF is a banned organisation under Indian law, and its Malaysia-based infrastructure reportedly enabled fund transfers to ground-level operatives inside Punjab.
Legal Proceedings and What Comes Next
Both accused were produced before a competent court in Patiala on 18 June and have been remanded to police custody for further interrogation. Investigations are ongoing to map the broader network and identify all individuals involved in the conspiracy.
DGP Yadav, in a post on X, stated that Punjab Police remain firmly committed to dismantling terrorist ecosystems and disrupting terror financing networks to safeguard peace and security in the state. With two key overseas operatives now in custody, the probe is expected to yield further leads on the transnational KZF infrastructure.
Point of View
But as a signal that India's counter-terror reach is extending further into Southeast Asia. What the case also exposes is the maturity of Khalistani financing infrastructure — offshore accounts, cross-border handlers, and ground-level modules executing physical attacks on critical infrastructure. The railway freight corridor, a flagship economic asset, being targeted twice in quick succession suggests a deliberate strategic logic, not opportunism. Whether Punjab Police can now trace the full financial chain — and whether Malaysia-based handlers beyond these two remain active — will determine the real impact of this operation.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the two KZF operatives deported from Malaysia by Punjab Police?
The two deported operatives are Gurwinder Singh of Ambala and Manjeet Singh of Patiala. Both were Malaysia-based members of a KZF-backed terror module allegedly involved in financing and coordinating attacks on Punjab's railway freight corridor infrastructure.
What attacks are the deported KZF operatives linked to?
They are linked to an IED blast on the dedicated freight corridor line near Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib on 23 January, and an attempted explosion on the same corridor near Shambhu in Patiala district on 27 April. Four other accused were arrested earlier in the same case.
How did Punjab Police secure the deportation from Malaysia?
Punjab Police coordinated with Indian Central intelligence agencies and the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) to identify and apprehend the two operatives abroad. The accused were then deported and intercepted by Punjab Police at IGI Airport in New Delhi upon arrival.
What is the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF)?
The Khalistan Zindabad Force is a banned terrorist organisation under Indian law that advocates for a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan. It has been linked to cross-border terror financing, arms smuggling, and attacks on Indian soil, with operatives reportedly based in multiple countries including Malaysia.
What is the current legal status of the two deported accused?
Both accused were produced before a competent court in Patiala on 18 June and have been remanded to police custody for further interrogation. Investigations are ongoing to identify other members of the broader transnational conspiracy.
