Bishnoi Gang Claims Hit On ISI Operative Shahzad Bhatti In Portugal

The Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate on Sunday claimed responsibility for an attack on ISI operative Shahzad Bhatti in Portugal. Bhatti has been described by Indian investigative agencies as a henchman of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).The Bishnoi gang made the claim on social media with Bishnoi's senior associates Randeep Malik and US-based Anil Pandit saying that the attack must be seen as a warning to rivals and a signal that the syndicate's reach extends well beyond India's borders.The gang claimed that hooded assailants riding a motorcycle carried out the strike at Bhatti's place of stay in Portugal. His condition remains unknown, and Portuguese authorities have so far issued no official statement.The Bishnoi gang's claim comes

barely two months after Delhi Police's Special Cell flagged Bhatti's expanding footprint in India. Three of his associates were arrested recently in connection with a grenade attack on a police station in Punjab's Gurdaspur.

Bishnoi Gang Targeted Bhatti Before?

In a social media post, the Bishnoi gang also disclosed an earlier, previously unreported operation against Bhatti in Brazil on June 22, 2025.The Lawrence–Randeep alliance said a specialised Mexican mafia team had been deployed in Tagva Tinga but failed to eliminate the target.

Who Is Shahzad Bhatti?

Bhatti is said to be a Pakistan-based underworld figure running a transnational network with alleged links to Pakistan's intelligence establishment. According to a TOI report, Bhatti has been "described as a key proxy for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, tasked with orchestrating cross-border terror modules and recruiting Indian youth through social media platforms to carry out high-profile strikes".Investigators link Bhatti to multiple security-related cases and plots aimed at high-value targets across India.Apart from terror-related activities, he is also accused of running an arms and narcotics smuggling network.Police sources have earlier said Bhatti used YouTube and other social media platforms to influence and lure Indian youths, while coordinating activities from Pakistan through encrypted communication channels.He had allegedly attempted to recruit Bishnoi himself years ago but failed. He later circulated a morphed video clip purportedly showing a video call between them, the report quotes sources as saying.