Key Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) Operative Behind Series of Grenade Attacks in Punjab Arrested in Sacramento by FBI

The Long Arm of the Law: Harpreet Singh ‘Happy Passia’ Nabbed in U.S., Opening New Front in Global Counterterrorism. Had Orchestrated a Series of Grenade Attacks Recently in Punjab.

FBI Nabs Key Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) Operative in California

In a major breakthrough for international counterterrorism efforts, Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia—a high-ranking member of the proscribed terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)—was arrested in Sacramento, California, on April 17, 2025. The operation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, represents a significant blow to transnational militant networks targeting India. Long linked to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Singh had been acting as a crucial link between BKI handlers across the border and sleeper cells operating within Indian territory.

Happy, who masterminded a string of grenade attacks across Punjab in recent months, had evaded capture for years using fake identities, burner phones, and cross-border safe havens. His apprehension follows sustained intelligence-sharing between Indian and U.S. agencies, reflecting a deepening counterterrorism partnership between the two nations.

Coming on the heels of President Donald J. Trump’s return to the White House, the arrest adds fresh momentum to Washington’s evolving stance on terrorism originating from foreign soil. With the recent extradition of 26/11 conspirator Tahawwur Rana to India now complete, attention is turning to other high-profile fugitives—particularly Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. citizen and designated terrorist under Indian law—whose propaganda and activities have long gone unchecked. The arrest of Happy Passia signals a growing resolve to confront and disrupt such networks, no matter where they operate from.

Happy Passia’s Global Trail of Terror

Hailing from Passia village in Amritsar, Punjab, Harpreet Singh’s transformation from a local thug to an internationally wanted terrorist mirrors the new age of hybrid militancy—where terror operations merge with narcotics, digital anonymity, and foreign sanctuary. Wanted in India in connection with 17 serious cases, including violations of anti-terror and drug-trafficking laws, Happy had crossed into the United States illegally in 2021 via Mexico after a brief stint in the United Kingdom.

Over the last two years, Happy orchestrated at least 14 grenade attacks across Punjab, targeting police stations, religious shrines, and homes of public officials. The attacks were intended to create fear, incite communal tensions, and erode public trust in security institutions. His involvement as a key operative of the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) has been well-documented, with intelligence reports linking him to Pakistan’s ISI and other extremist outfits operating under the guise of Khalistani separatism.

Chandigarh Grenade Attack: A Turning Point

The high-profile grenade attack in September 2024 on the residence of a retired Punjab Police officer in Sector 10, Chandigarh, became the inflection point in investigations into Singh’s activities. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India, which filed a detailed chargesheet in March 2025, named Harpreet Singh alongside Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda and two Indian operatives, Rohan and Vishal Masih, as the masterminds behind the attack.

The chargesheet revealed a chilling modus operandi: Happy and Rinda remotely coordinated reconnaissance and operational tasks, funded the logistics, and passed on encrypted instructions via secure platforms. The case symbolized a seamless blend of traditional militancy and digital-age terrorism.

All four conspirators have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act, and several sections of the Indian Penal Code. The case has since evolved into a larger effort to dismantle the BKI’s entire command-and-control structure spread across continents.

Terror Module Busted: The Honey Link

The arrest is not an isolated success. In December 2023, the Punjab Police cracked a Pakistan-backed terror module run by Singh and his associate Shamsher alias Honey. Five operatives, including the key planner Abhijot Singh, were taken into custody. They had been actively involved in grenade attacks on police targets in Batala and Gurdaspur. The module's takedown yielded critical intel that ultimately contributed to Singh's international trail being pieced together.

FBI Operation and Evasion Strategy

Despite being on India’s radar for years, Singh managed to live under the radar in the U.S. thanks to burner phones, fake IDs, and a sophisticated human trafficking network that helped him cross borders. However, a multi-agency operation spearheaded by the FBI’s Sacramento office and ERO turned the tide. His arrest is a testament to how persistent intelligence-sharing and legal diplomacy can yield results, even years after a fugitive has disappeared into the shadows.

The Tahawwur Rana Precedent: A Door Opens

Singh's arrest comes close on the heels of another landmark development in India-U.S. judicial cooperation—the long-awaited extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman and former military doctor who was one of the key conspirators in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. After years of legal proceedings, U.S. courts cleared his extradition to India, and Rana was flown to New Delhi earlier this year to face trial. His extradition, a diplomatic and legal milestone, has emboldened Indian agencies and provided hope that other fugitives—including Gurpatwant Singh Pannun—may no longer find safe haven behind legal shields in Western democracies. Together, these developments signal a changing tide where strategic alliances are being reinforced through mutual commitments to combating global terrorism.

International Implications and the Pannun Factor

The capture of Happy Passia is not just a victory for India’s anti-terror apparatus—it signals a potential shift in the global treatment of separatist-extremist entities that exploit Western freedoms to promote terror abroad. India has long raised concerns over individuals like Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), who, despite being a U.S. citizen, remains a fugitive under Indian law and was designated a terrorist under the UAPA.

With President Trump’s return to office, there is renewed hope within Indian security circles that Washington may reassess its tolerance for terror-linked diaspora activism, especially when these operatives pose risks to allied nations. Singh’s arrest may thus become a litmus test for how future extradition and deportation requests from India are handled under the Trump administration.

Summing Up: A New Chapter in Counterterrorism Cooperation and Political Restraint

The arrest of Harpreet Singh ‘Happy Passia’ marks a milestone in the global fight against terror networks with tentacles stretching from Punjab to Pakistan to the United States. It reinforces the critical importance of real-time intelligence sharing, cross-border legal collaboration, and sustained political will in neutralizing threats that transcend national boundaries.

This operation also reflects the commendable work of the Punjab Police under the professional and determined leadership of Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav. Their actionable intelligence and relentless coordination with central and international agencies have played a pivotal role in cracking down on transnational terror modules and drug syndicates linked to Pakistan-based handlers. The Happy Passia case is a direct outcome of this quiet but resolute policing strategy.

As India presses for further action against terrorists operating from overseas safe havens, this arrest—closely following the extradition of 26/11 co-conspirator Tahawwur Rana—could well become a precedent-setting case in global counterterrorism cooperation. The hope now is that international fugitives like Gurpatwant Singh Pannun may soon be held to similar account.

At the same time, political parties—both within Punjab and across the national spectrum—must exercise restraint and maturity by refraining from using counterterrorism or anti-narcotics operations as opportunities for political one-upmanship. Apart from creating unnecessary alarm among the public, such attempts to politicize sensitive security matters only serve to sully the atmosphere, distort the public narrative, and demoralize the dedicated officers and agencies working on the ground. These operations are built on months of painstaking intelligence gathering and coordination, often across jurisdictions and international borders. To subject them to political point-scoring or media sensationalism is to undermine the very foundations of effective law enforcement. Agencies must be granted the operational autonomy and institutional support necessary to pursue terrorists and drug lords without fear of political backlash or manipulation. Only then can the battle against extremism and narco-terror be meaningfully won—both in tactical terms and in the trust of the people.