Happy Passia Linked to Punjab Grenade Attacks Arrested in US

FBI Nabbed Accused Wanted by NIA in Chandigarh Attack Case From California

Chandigarh, April 18 2025 (Yes Punjab News)

Harpreet Singh, also known as “Happy Passia,” an accused terrorist charge-sheeted by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) for orchestrating grenade terror attacks in Punjab, has been apprehended by US security agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations, in Sacramento, California.

The FBI confirmed on Friday that Harpreet Singh illegally entered the United States and used burner phones to evade capture.

Hailing from Passia village in Ajnala, Punjab, Singh is implicated in at least 16 grenade attacks targeting police posts, religious sites, and residential areas in the region.

On March 23, the NIA filed a charge sheet against four operatives of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist organization in connection with the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack case. The charge sheet named Pakistan-based designated terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda, and US-based Happy Passia as key conspirators.

According to the NIA, Sandhu and Passia were the primary handlers, providing logistical support, terror funding, weapons, and ammunition to on-ground operatives in Chandigarh for the execution of the grenade attack. The September 2024 attack was aimed at a retired Punjab Police officer, mistakenly believed to be residing at the targeted address.

NIA investigations revealed that Sandhu and Passia conspired to instill terror among law enforcement and the public, furthering BKI’s terrorist agenda. They recruited local operatives, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, who carried out the attack based on their direct instructions.

The investigation also uncovered that Sandhu and Passia directed Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih to conduct reconnaissance of the target location twice before the grenade attack.

In the chargesheet submitted to the Special NIA Court in Chandigarh, all four accused have been charged under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act, and other relevant provisions for their involvement in planning and supporting the attack.

The NIA continues its investigation to apprehend other BKI members and dismantle the organization’s network within India.