Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, an alleged terrorist wanted in India for multiple attacks in Punjab, was arrested in Sacramento, California on Friday by the FBI and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
The FBI confirmed his arrest, stating that Singh is linked to two international terrorist organisations and had entered the United States illegally. He was reportedly using burner phones and encrypted applications to evade capture.
The arrest comes weeks after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged Harpreet Singh in connection with the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack. Singh, along with Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, was identified as a key conspirator.
The two had allegedly provided weapons, funds, and logistical support to operatives on the ground to carry out the strike. The target was a residence believed to be occupied by a retired Punjab Police officer.
Who is Harpreet Singh?
Harpreet Singh, also known as Happy Passia and Jora, hails from Passia village in Amritsar district of Punjab.
He briefly lived in the United Kingdom before illegally crossing into the US from Mexico in 2021.
Security agencies in India, including the Punjab Police, have named him in at least 17 criminal cases under anti-terror and drug-related laws.
Twelve of these cases were registered between November 2022 and April 2024.
Singh is said to be a key operative of banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International, a Khalistani terror group with historical ties to Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. The group has been involved in several attacks aimed at reviving Sikh militancy in India.
Singh and Rinda’s plan in the Chandigarh grenade case was allegedly part of this broader agenda. The operatives they recruited, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, were directed to conduct reconnaissance before hurling a grenade at the intended target, as per news agency ANI.
In January 2025, the NIA had announced a cash reward for information leading to Singh’s capture.
