Punjab has been placed on high alert after intelligence inputs warned of a Pakistan-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network plot targeting military installations in Amritsar, specifically Khasa Cantonment and Budha Theh near Beas.

Security forces have intensified surveillance, with two Pakistan-based operatives, Rana Bhai and Malik, suspected of coordinating reconnaissance.

Intelligence agencies have sounded the alarm following credible inputs about possible strikes against sensitive military assets in Punjab. The alert is centred on Amritsar, where reconnaissance has reportedly been carried out around Khasa Cantonment and the Budha Theh military establishment.

The intelligence note identifies two Pakistan-based operatives, Rana Bhai and Malik, as handlers tasked with overseeing the reconnaissance and coordination of the suspected plot. Both are described as trusted associates of Shahzad Bhatti, who operates from Pakistan under the patronage of the ISI.

Security agencies and Punjab Police have stepped up surveillance and security checks around cantonments, Air Force bases, and other sensitive military zones in and around Amritsar. Additional forces have been deployed to prevent any infiltration or sabotage attempts.

The alert assumes added significance because Khasa Cantonment witnessed a low-intensity blast on 5 May 2026, when an improvised explosive device damaged a section of the perimeter wall. Investigators suspected the explosion was part of a planned attack, though no direct link was established with the Bhatti network at the time.

The Shahzad Bhatti Network has increasingly figured in Indian investigations into cross-border terror and organised crime. It is described as a hybrid terror-gangster syndicate, combining traditional militant tactics with criminal networks and social media recruitment. Intelligence agencies allege that Bhatti uses encrypted apps and hawala channels to fund and direct operatives in India.

The latest alert comes just days after a multi-state crackdown against the Bhatti network, which led to over 200 arrests across 14 states. The raids recovered improvised explosive devices, Pakistan Ordnance Factory-marked grenades, pistols, live cartridges, and CCTV equipment suspected to have been used for espionage.

Investigations into the network’s logistics and cross-border links are ongoing, with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing multiple cases involving Bhatti’s operatives. Agencies are also tracking the alleged use of local recruits and criminal facilitators for weapons movement and targeted violence.

The heightened alert underscores the persistent threat posed by Pakistan-backed modules attempting to destabilise Punjab. Security agencies have been directed to treat the intelligence input with utmost seriousness and maintain strict vigilance around all sensitive installations.

Agencies