NIA raids 12 places across four states in cross-border weapon smuggling case
By Rajnish Singh, New Delhi, May 29
The National Investigation Agency on Friday conducted a massive search operation at 12 locations across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Maharashtra in connection with a cross-border weapon smuggling case, signalling a major push to dismantle a suspected terror network with links beyond India's borders.
Of the total, five places are being searched in Uttar Pradesh, three in Maharashtra and two each in Bihar and Rajasthan, linked to the case based on certain inputs against suspects.
The raids started early on Friday and are continuing, covering the locations of those working as local supporters to Pakistani operative Jasvir Chaudhary, who alongwith his Indian associates, was planning to carry out a blast at various places in Punjab, Delhi and other parts of India.
The case, which has raised serious security concerns, was initially registered by the Punjab Police earlier this year. However, given its scale and the suspected international links, the probe was handed over to the NIA on March 21 to ensure a more comprehensive investigation.
On February 10, the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) of Punjab Police received credible information that, on the directions of Jasvir Chaudhary, a Pakistani operative, his Indian associates obtained a large consignment of arms, ammunition, and IED through a drone via the India-Pakistan border with the intention to carry out an IED blast at various places in Punjab, Delhi and other parts of India.
Officials believe the recovered materials were intended for carrying out coordinated attacks in multiple regions, potentially causing widespread damage and panic. The use of drones for transporting weapons has added a new dimension to cross-border smuggling tactics, making detection more challenging.
Following the intelligence inputs, the Punjab Police registered a formal case (FIR No. 09/2026 dated February 10, 2026), which was later taken over by the NIA. Since then, the NIA has been working to identify and track down all individuals connected to the plot.
The ongoing search operation covering four states is seen as a crucial step in uncovering the full extent of the terror network, including logistical support systems and sleeper cells that may have been activated to execute the planned attacks.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some action! 🙏 But it's concerning that such large consignments can enter our country. The Punjab Police did good work initially, but why was there a delay in handing over to NIA? Every day matters in preventing terror attacks. Need stricter drone monitoring across the border.
Interesting development. This shows how complex cross-border smuggling has become with technology. Would be good to see more coordination between state police and central agencies. The use of drones for weapon delivery is a wake-up call for security forces everywhere.
These raids are necessary, but I hope NIA doesn't just focus on catching small fish. The big network behind Jasvir Chaudhary needs to be dismantled. Also, why are we always reacting after weapons enter? Need more intelligence-led prevention at the border itself. 😠
Good to see proactive action from NIA. The scale of this operation across four states shows how widespread these networks can be. Important that local police in border states get better training and equipment to detect drone smuggling. Every state needs to be alert now.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.