NEW DELHI: Harpreet Singh, an alleged terrorist wanted in India for several terror attacks in Punjab, was arrested in California’s Sacramento, on Thursday by the FBI and US immigration officials.
In a post on X, the FBI’s Sacramento office said: “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 US illegally and used burner phones to evade capture.”
Singh, also known as Happy Passia and Jora, is from Passia village in Punjab’s Amritsar district. He had lived in the UK for a short time before crossing into the US illegally from Mexico in 2021.
According to Punjab Police, Singh is wanted in 17 criminal cases, including charges under anti-terror and drug laws in India. Twelve of those cases were filed between November 2022 and April 2024.
On March 23, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against four operatives of the banned terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in connection with the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack.
Among those named are Harwinder Singh Sandhu, also known as Rinda, a Pakistan-based terrorist, and Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, who is based in the United States.
According to the NIA, Rinda and Passia were the key conspirators and handlers behind the attack. They allegedly provided logistical support, terror funds, weapons, and ammunition to on-ground operatives in India to carry out the strike.
The grenade attack, which took place in September 2024, was aimed at a house believed to be occupied by a retired Punjab Police officer. The incident is part of a larger transnational conspiracy by BKI to reignite terrorist activities in India.
