The Special Cell of Delhi Police has successfully foiled a major criminal conspiracy to carry out grenade attacks, shootings, and targeted killings in the Delhi-NCR region.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the police arrested two operatives allegedly linked to Pakistan-based ISI proxy Shahzad Bhatti.

The accused have been identified as Rajveer, aged 21, and Vivek Banjara, aged 19, both residents of Gwalior district in Madhya Pradesh.

Officials stated that the arrests prevented planned attacks in the capital and surrounding areas, exposing a larger conspiracy orchestrated by Bhatti. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Bhatti and other ISI-linked handlers were recruiting young individuals through social media platforms and deploying them for violent operations in Delhi-NCR.

Rajveer was reportedly handled by Bhatti’s associate, known as “Rana Bhai”, who assigned him key operational responsibilities including coordinating movements, collecting weapons, and executing attacks.

The Special Cell registered a case on 31 March 2026 after receiving intelligence about the planned grenade attacks and targeted killings. Vivek Banjara was first apprehended from Dabra in Gwalior on 16 April.

During interrogation, he revealed details about Rajveer, leading to his arrest from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi on 18 April.

At the time of his arrest, Rajveer was allegedly preparing to target a prominent hotel in Delhi-NCR under Bhatti’s instructions. Police recovered one pistol, six live cartridges, and two mobile phones containing incriminating videos and voice notes linked to the conspiracy.

Investigations revealed that both accused were lured with promises of easy money and gradually drawn into the criminal network. In March 2026, Rajveer was tasked with procuring weapons from Ahmedabad, but the deal fell through. On 9 April, the duo travelled to Amritsar, where they obtained a pistol, ammunition, and ₹20,000 in cash.

They were instructed to open fire at a club in Zirakpur, Punjab, which had allegedly received extortion threats from Bhatti. On 11 April, Rajveer attempted the firing but failed due to a mechanical fault in the weapon. Vivek recorded a video of the incident to send to their handler. Rajveer later concealed the weapon while returning to Delhi and shared its location with Bhatti.

After spending a few days in Delhi-NCR, Rajveer travelled back to Punjab, where he collected another pistol and ammunition before returning to the capital. The police confirmed that further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network and dismantle the wider conspiracy.

Agencies