India says 40 Shahzad Bhatti-linked modules dismantled and 350 arrested
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Indian agencies had dismantled more than 40 modules allegedly linked to the Shahzad Bhatti network and arrested 350 people across 15 states. He also launched an Extradition Portal and called for closer coordination between state police and central agencies.
More than 40 modules allegedly linked to the Shahzad Bhatti network have been dismantled and 350 people arrested across 15 Indian states, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday. Shah said more than 100 First Information Reports had been registered against members of the network. He also said the Union Government had declared the network a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The minister made the remarks in Delhi at the opening of the PRAHAAR National Counter Terrorism Policy and Strategy Conference. The meeting brought together central and state security officials, including police chiefs and Anti-Terrorism Squad heads. According to Shah, the network was allegedly involved in cross-border smuggling of weapons, explosives and narcotics.
He attributed the action against it to improved coordination between security and investigating agencies. Shah also launched an Extradition Portal, which the Home Ministry says is intended to coordinate and speed up efforts to bring fugitives back to India. He asked state police forces to create dedicated teams to work with central agencies on extradition and related mechanisms.
The minister said 288 fugitive criminals had been returned to India from 36 countries between 2019 and 2026. He called for a “zero-tolerance” approach to terrorism and said security coordination should prevent delays in counter-terrorism operations. The government’s PRAHAAR strategy is built around seven pillars: prevention, response, internal capacities, human rights, reducing conditions conducive to terrorism, international alignment, and recovery and resilience.
Shah called for continuous analysis of terror incidents and a strong mechanism for the next 10 years. He also said PRAHAAR principles should reach police-station level and urged forces to adopt proactive, institutionalised and automated counter-terrorism responses.
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