Khalistani Link in Mumbai: BKI Operative Arrested from Metro Site

Mumbai: Mumbai police and the NIA arrested Jatinder Singh alias Jyoti, an operative of Khalistani group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), from a Metro car shed in Mankhurd on Monday. Singh, who had been working as a crane operator at a Metro construction site for the past three months, is accused of aiding terror operations in Punjab.

Singh, a Gurdaspur resident, has links to designated terrorists Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and gangster Bachitar Singh alias Pavitar Batala. He allegedly transported weapons to Punjab for planned attacks and extorted businessmen under Landa's orders. The NIA, tracking him for months, arrested him covertly to maintain operational secrecy.

Mumbai police and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) are probing Singh's local connections, including those who facilitated his stay and employment. Initial investigations revealed Singh was hired by a Navi Mumbai crane service provider based on a recommendation from a local gurudwara.

Authorities are scrutinizing the contractor’s background checks, highlighting concerns over a Khalistani presence in Mumbai. “This alarming development has intensified vigilance across the city,” said a senior Mumbai police official.

Singh is also linked to the 2022 rocket grenade attack on the Sarhali police station and the supply of weapons from Madhya Pradesh—a new route surprising security agencies as BKI usually sources arms from Pakistan.

This arrest marks a significant step in the ongoing Punjab terror conspiracy case, underlining the urgency of enhanced verification processes and intelligence efforts to curb terror networks nationwide.