New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday (May 29, 2026) conducted coordinated searches at 12 locations across four states—Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Rajasthan—in connection with an alleged Pakistan-linked terror conspiracy involving cross-border smuggling of arms, ammunition, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) via drone drops.

The investigation began in February 2026 after Punjab Police’s Special Operations Cell arrested one person in Amritsar found possessing an IED packed in a metallic case with a remote control, a foreign-made .30 bore pistol with magazine, 20 live cartridges, and a mobile handset . The FIR invoked sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, and NDPS Act. The NIA discovered that the cross-border smuggling aimed to cause extensive damage to life and property through IED blasts to disrupt peace and stability in the country.

The arrested accused was in contact with several individuals across different states to orchestrate terror acts, arson, and other violent activities . The agency is now working to identify additional Indian and transnational elements linked to the conspiracy . Several persons were detained during the coordinated operation as part of a major push to dismantle the suspected terror network with links beyond India’s borders.