Lucknow, Oct 30 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested three men and apprehended a juvenile for allegedly plotting to kill a police or Army personnel in Lucknow on the instructions
of a Pakistan-based handler linked to the banned Shahzad Bhatti Network, officials said on Friday.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash said the accused were allegedly promised Rs 3 lakh for carrying out the targeted killing and tasked with filming the attack and sending the video to Pakistan.
The officer described it as “a significant breakthrough”.
“We received intelligence that, on the instructions of a Pakistan-based handler, Rana Bhai, some youths from Punjab were conspiring to carry out a targeted killing of a police or Army personnel in Lucknow,” Yash said.
Acting on the input, the ATS arrested three accused from Punjab — Gagandeep Singh, Rajat Kumar and Krish — in Lucknow on October 30, 2026, and took a juvenile into its supervision. A foreign-made pistol and 20 foreign-made cartridges were recovered from their possession.
“During preliminary questioning, the accused disclosed that they were in contact with the Pakistan-based handler, Rana Bhai, through social media platforms Instagram and WhatsApp. On his instructions, they had been assigned the task of carrying out a targeted killing of a police or Army personnel in Lucknow and recording a video of the incident to send to Pakistan,” Yash said.
They were provided financial assistance to travel to Lucknow and allegedly promised Rs 3 lakh for executing the assignment. A plan had also been drawn up for them to escape to Nepal after the attack to evade the police, he said.
Yash mentioned that Gagandeep was previously booked in an Arms Act case in Punjab.
“Important evidence has been recovered from the mobile phones of the accused, including suspicious chats, videos and material related to reconnaissance of sensitive establishments and sharing their locations with the Pakistan-based handler,” he said.
The weapons and ammunition were allegedly supplied to the accused in Lucknow by another person associated with the network. Their questioning has also indicated that the weapons were sent from Pakistan, he added.
“To obtain detailed information about other persons involved in the conspiracy, local associates, the network supplying the weapons and the financial transactions, the ATS will seek police custody remand of the accused and conduct intensive questioning,” the senior officer said. PTI KIS MPL
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