Terrorist Happy Passia arrested by FBI in California

Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia a gangsterturnedterrorist who has been apprehended in the United States US was wanted for orchestrating 16 terror attacks including 14 grenade assaults in Punjab official sources said on FridayThe 29yearold was detained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI and the US Immigration Departmentrsquos Enforcement and Removal Operations ERO in Sacramento California PTI reportedIn January the National Investigation Agency NIA had announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for information on Passia in connection with a hand grenade attack on the house of a retired Punjab Police officer in Chandigarh in September 2024Passia and Pakistanbased designated terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda were among the four accused named in a charge sheet in the case by NIA reported PTIInvestigations by Punjab Police revealed that Passia supplied explosives weapons and logistical support to the perpetrators through his local associatesAccording to a dossier prepared by Punjab Police a total of 33 first information reports FIR have been registered at various police stations against Passia and 10 lookout circulars have been issued against him PTI reportedHappy Passia was enlisted by Pakbased terrorist to execute attacks in PunjabA native of Pashia village in Amritsar district Passia left for Dubai in April 2018 and returned to India in February 2019 He later travelled to London in October 2020 and subsequently moved to the USHe was initially affiliated with members of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang including its USbased associates Darmanjot Singh Darman Kahlon and Amritpal Singh Amrit Bal Later Passia was allegedly involved in organised crime with this association It later laid the groundwork for his collaboration with Rinda a designated terrorist affiliated with Babbar Khalsa International BKIRinda later enlisted Passia to execute terror attacks in PunjabBetween September and October 2023 Passia in coordination with Rinda carried out a series of extortion and terrorrelated activities across Punjab the policersquos dossier statedHe allegedly targeted liquor contractors and businessmen threatening them with extortion calls The accused was also involved in arson and shooting incidents at liquor shops in Batala and Amritsar These actions were aimed at instilling fear and coercing compliance among the businessmenSeveral terror and criminal modules supported by the RindaPassia network were dismantled by Punjab Police These cells were set up to target Hindu group leaders police installations both serving and retired Punjab Police officers religious processions and liquor contractors from the AmritsarBatala region The operations were also intended to generate funds for terrorist activities14 grenade attacks coordinated by Happy PassiaThe collaboration between Passia and Rinda gave rise to a dangerous network with the intent to carry out terrorist acts across the statePassiarsquos partnership with Rinda further compounded the severity of his involvementHis role in planning and executing terror modules aimed at highprofile targets in Punjab highlights the significant threat posed by the networkBetween late 2024 and early 2025 BKI executed a string of 16 terror attacks across Punjab These included 14 hand grenade assaults an improvised explosive device IED attack and a rocketpropelled grenade RPG strike at police establishments and residences of officialsOne significant incident involved planting an IED near Ajnala Police Station on 23 November 2024 followed by an RPG attack on Qila Lal Singh Police establishment in Gurdaspur on the intervening night of 6 and 7 AprilThese attacks were coordinated by Passia under Rindarsquos direction with assistance from other USbased associates mdash Gurdev Singh Jaisal Pehalwan Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi Nawanshehria and Germanybased Swaran Singh alias Jeevan Faujia mdash along with their local collaboratorsThe RindaPassia network is also accused of recruiting juveniles particularly those struggling with drug addiction to carry out terrorist operations in exchange for money and narcoticsIn December 2024 Punjab Police arrested a 17yearold involved in planting an IED at Ajnala Police Station The teenager confessed to being enticed into the act with promises of drugs and cashWith PTI inputsatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params