Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], January 22 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted searches at 16 locations across Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in connection with the last year's Chandigarh grenade blast case linking Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and US-based Harpreet Singh.

The raids include 14 locations in Punjab, along with one each in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The operation aims to uncover crucial evidence and track down individuals linked to the incident.

The grenade blast, which occurred in Chandigarh in September last year, had raised security concerns, prompting an intensive investigation by the NIA.

The development comes months after Punjab Police on September 13, 2024, said that they had cracked the Chandigarh grenade blast case by arresting a man, in a joint operation with central agencies. They claimed that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and US-based Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia masterminded the operation.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav had informed then that state police arrested a man namely Rohan Masih, a resident of Passia village in Amritsar.

According to police, an investigation has revealed that Happy Passia provided accused persons with explosives, weapons and logistical support through his local associates in Punjab and also arranged some financial backing for them.

After committing the crime, the duo came to Amritsar and subsequently parted their ways, he said, while adding that Vishal first went to J-K and then moved to Delhi, when police teams apprehended him.

On September 11, a hand grenade was lobbed at a house in Chandigarh's sector 10. Later, Chandigarh Police investigated the incident and found that two individuals arrived on an auto-rickshaw and one of them hurled a hand grenade at the house. The house belongs to KK Malhotra, a retired principal of an institute in Himachal Pradesh. (ANI)