In a significant global breakthrough, US authorities have apprehended Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, the mastermind behind a series of grenade attacks and terror activities in Punjab. Passia, a resident of Amritsar, had been under Indian intelligence surveillance for his suspected involvement in more than 14 terror incidents spanning over Punjab and had evaded capture for a long time.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out the arrest through a joint surveillance effort with Indian law enforcement agencies. Happy Passia had a ₹5 lakh bounty on his head, as announced by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He was specifically wanted about a grenade attack on the Chandigarh Police Headquarters, a high-profile case that had heightened the manhunt.

Today, Harpreet Singh, an alleged terrorist responsible for terror attacks in Punjab, India, was arrested by the #FBI & #ERO in Sacramento. Linked to two international terrorist groups, he entered the U.S. illegally and used burner phones to evade capture. pic.twitter.com/vObj2xPa8Q

— FBI Sacramento (@FBISacramento) April 18, 2025

The importance of Passia's arrest rises from his connections with Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency together with his alliance with the banned Khalistani terrorist group BKI. Evidence shows Passia maintained continuous ISI contact while he worked with the wanted terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda to carry out destabilising attacks against Punjab.

The National Investigation Agency identified Passia as one of its most wanted targets by making public his information and details about the bounty. His links to international terror organisations created a top priority status for him among both Indian security forces and international counter terrorism agencies.

He is believed to be behind a series of grenade explosions and attempted attacks in late 2023 and early 2024. Some of the notable incidents include:

• November 24: RDX was planted outside Ajnala police station. Although it didn’t explode, two individuals were arrested, and multiple hand grenades were seized.
• November 27: A grenade exploded at an abandoned police outpost in Gurbakhsh Nagar.
• December 2: A targeted attack on the Kathgarh police station led to the arrest of three armed individuals.
• December 4: An explosion at Majitha police station, initially dismissed as a tire burst, was later confirmed as a terror-related incident by former MLA Bikram Majithia.
• December 13: A grenade blast at the Aliwal Batala police station, claimed by Passia and his aides.
• December 17: A grenade attack rocked Islamabad police station in Amritsar. While local authorities initially denied any explosion, the Punjab DGP later confirmed it as a terror strike.
• January 16: A grenade was hurled at liquor trader Amandeep Jaintipuria’s house in Jaintipur village, Amritsar.
• January 19: Explosion at Gumtala police outpost in Amritsar. Babbar Khalsa International claimed responsibility.
• February 3: Low-intensity explosion at an abandoned police post on Fatehgarh Churian Road, Amritsar. Police denied it was a grenade attack.
• February 14: A low-intensity blast targeted the residence of a police official in Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur.
• March 15: Attack on Thakur Dwara temple in Amritsar. Accused terrorist Gursidak Singh was later killed in an encounter.

Sources indicate that the attacks were planned from outside and supported logistically by Khalistani separatists. The sequence of these attacks and their timing indicated a calculated attempt to create trouble in Punjab, the vulnerable border state.

The Happy Passia arrest is a turning point in India's anti-cross-border terrorism and Khalistani extremism battle. Officials believe his interrogation will reveal more about the international support network behind such attacks and act to dismantle operations still active within India and abroad.