Amid Indo-Canada row, NIA raids over 50 locations in anti-terror crackdown; detains many, seizes weapons

The NIA raids focussed on people with links to Canada-based syndicates and criminals who use these networks for terror-related activities.

This crackdown took place amid India's major diplomatic row with Canada after the country's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed "agents of Delhi" were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June, who was a Canadian citizen.

India has rejected the allegation as 'absurd' and said that Canadian authorities have yet to share evidence.

Speaking at the UN, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar Tuesday flagged a spike in "organised crime relating to secessionist forces and extremism" in that country without taking the name.

The raids commenced early morning over 50 locations connected to gangs run by Lawrence Bishnoi and Canada-based Arshdeep Dalla, whom police this week discovered links to Pak-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and other crime bosses, said reports.

According to the NIA, fugitives like Dalla and Gaurav Patial are based abroad but stay in touch with Khalistani terrorists to secure funding, smuggle weapons and order murders, acts of extortion and take part in other anti-national activities.

The raids were in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the national capital region; in Punjab alone, the NIA raided 30 locations.

These are part of efforts to build a watertight case against the syndicates, most of which are now operated from Dubai and are linked to cases the NIA filed last year under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.