Punjab: Two ISI-backed terror modules busted in Amritsar, 9 arrested
Synopsis
Amritsar police have cracked two ISI-linked terror cells in a single sweep — arresting nine people, including four juveniles, and uncovering something more alarming than weapons: surveillance cameras planted near railway tracks, with footage allegedly being fed to foreign handlers. The digital money trail and hardware deployment suggest these modules were more than street-level threats.
Key Takeaways
Amritsar Commissionerate Police busted two ISI-backed terror modules on 4 August , arresting nine individuals , including four juveniles .
Seized items include three illegal pistols , nine cartridges , and four petrol-bottle bombs , along with one stolen motorcycle.
Accused were allegedly directed by foreign-based ISI handlers to recruit youth, surveil security installations, and procure weapons.
Surveillance cameras installed near railway tracks were allegedly used to share footage with foreign handlers, with payments routed via Paytm .
Harman Singh and Sukhdev Singh , both lodged in Central Jail, Amritsar , are also linked to a separate Arms Act case involving four Glock pistols .
Further investigation is underway to identify additional members of the ISI-backed network .
Amritsar Commissionerate Police has dismantled two ISI-backed cross-border terror modules, arresting nine individuals — including four juveniles — and seizing three illegal pistols, nine cartridges, and four petrol-bottle bombs, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav announced on Tuesday, 4 August. The twin busts mark a significant counter-terror operation by Amritsar police, with preliminary investigation pointing to foreign-based handlers directing local youth toward surveillance and violence.
Who Was Arrested
The adults taken into custody have been identified as Vansh Kumar (19), Anmol Singh (20), Harman Singh alias Hammu (24), Sukhdev Singh (30), and Sukhman Singh (19), alongside four juveniles whose identities are withheld. Police also impounded one stolen motorcycle that was allegedly used to carry out criminal activities.
What the Modules Were Doing
According to DGP Yadav, preliminary investigation revealed the accused were operating at the behest of ISI handlers based abroad, who were attempting to recruit local youth to execute terror-related activities, conduct surveillance of security installations, procure illegal weapons, and disturb public peace. Notably, the probe has uncovered the installation of surveillance cameras near railway tracks, with footage allegedly transmitted to foreign handlers — a tactic that signals an intelligence-gathering dimension beyond street-level violence.
Financial transactions linked to the camera installations were reportedly routed through Paytm by Sukhdev Singh, acting on instructions from Harman Singh. Both are currently lodged in Central Jail, Amritsar, and are also implicated in an Arms Act case registered at Rajasansi police station, in which four Glock pistols were recovered from their possession.
How the Operations Unfolded
Commissioner of Police (Amritsar) Gurpreet Bhullar said that acting on reliable intelligence, police teams first intercepted Vansh Kumar along with a juvenile associate, recovering one illegal .32 bore country-made pistol and three cartridges. Disclosure statements then led to the arrest of Anmol Singh, who allegedly supplied the weapon.
In a separate operation, police apprehended two juveniles after recovering one .32 bore country-made pistol, two petrol-bottle bombs, and a lighter. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they had made several attempts to execute a broader conspiracy alongside Sukhman Singh and another juvenile. Both associates were subsequently arrested, with police recovering two additional petrol bombs and one .30 bore pistol from their possession.
Broader Security Context
This is not an isolated incident. Punjab has witnessed a series of ISI-linked module busts over the past two years, with cross-border handlers increasingly targeting unemployed youth in border districts. The use of digital payment trails and surveillance hardware near critical infrastructure signals a shift in operational sophistication. Further investigation is underway to identify remaining members of the network.
Point of View
And the one receiving the least attention. Weapons busts are routine in Punjab's border belt; infrastructure surveillance is not. If ISI handlers are now tasking local modules with systematic monitoring of rail corridors, the threat calculus has shifted from disruption to reconnaissance. The use of juveniles also raises uncomfortable questions about how deeply radicalisation pipelines have penetrated economically vulnerable age groups in the region — a structural problem that arrests alone cannot solve.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the two ISI-backed terror modules busted in Amritsar doing?
According to police, the two modules were tasked by foreign-based ISI handlers with recruiting local youth, conducting surveillance of security installations including railway tracks, procuring illegal weapons, and disturbing public peace. Surveillance cameras were allegedly installed near railway tracks with footage shared with handlers abroad.
Who has been arrested in the Amritsar terror module bust?
Nine individuals have been arrested: Vansh Kumar (19), Anmol Singh (20), Harman Singh alias Hammu (24), Sukhdev Singh (30), Sukhman Singh (19), and four juveniles. All were allegedly linked to ISI-directed operations in Amritsar.
What weapons and materials were recovered in the operation?
Police recovered three illegal pistols — including two .32 bore country-made pistols and one .30 bore pistol — nine cartridges, four petrol-bottle bombs, and a lighter. One stolen motorcycle was also impounded.
How were the surveillance cameras near railway tracks funded?
According to investigators, financial transactions for installing surveillance cameras near railway tracks were made through Paytm by Sukhdev Singh, acting on instructions from Harman Singh. Both are currently lodged in Central Jail, Amritsar.
Is this the first such ISI module bust in Punjab?
No. Punjab has seen a series of ISI-linked module busts over recent years, with cross-border handlers increasingly targeting youth in border districts. The current case is notable for its use of digital payment trails and surveillance hardware near critical infrastructure, indicating growing operational sophistication.
