Punjab Police's Efforts Led To Arrest Of Passia In US, Says DGP Gaurav Yadav

(MENAFN- IANS) Chandigarh, April 18 (IANS) The Punjab Police on Friday said that their efforts led to the arrest of Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, a US-based key operative of the Pakistan's ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and close associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Rinda, at Sacramento in the US.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Friday termed it as a major success and said: "Today marks a major milestone in the sustained crackdown on ISI-backed terror networks, with the announcement of detention of Happy Passia by the US authorities. This is the outcome of excellent international cooperation and exchange of information between the United States and India."

In a statement, Gaurav Yadav said that Punjab Police have consistently shared intelligence inputs with the Central agencies.

As per the information, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Happy Passia in Sacramento in California on April 17.

DGP Yadav said Happy Passia, a native of Passia village in Amritsar, began his criminal career with gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, and his US-based associates Darman Kahlon and Amrit Bal.

Later, Happy Passia became a key associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Rinda, operating under the direct guidance of the ISI, he added.

He said Passia was the primary handler of ISI-backed terror modules in Punjab and played a central role in orchestrating targeted killings, grenade attacks on police establishments, and extortion across the state between 2023 and 2025.

“Our investigation has found direct involvement of Happy Passia in majority of terror acts, which took place in the state after September 2024,” said the DGP, while adding Passia was masterminding the terror activities sitting in the US, using a network of vulnerable youth struggling with addiction, recruiting them to carry out these acts in exchange for money and narcotics.

Punjab Police has meticulously tracked all the terror modules raised by Passia and successfully dismantled them, said DGP Yadav, adding an extensive dossier on Passia's activities was shared with Central agencies and subsequently with the US authorities, leading to his arrest.

“Punjab Police has already taken up the matter with Central agencies to initiate the process for Passia's extradition to India as per the law,” he added.

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