PORTUGAL-BASED BKI MODULE LINKED TO BATALA GRENADE ATTACK
Third Accused Arrested: Punjab Police have arrested Karanjit Singh alias Bacha, the third accused in the 1 August grenade attack on the Urban Estate Police Post, Batala. Two other accused Rajan alias Gullu and a juvenile had been arrested earlier.
Cross-Border Terror Link: According to Punjab Police, Karanjit was part of an ISI-backed module allegedly operated by a Portugal-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) handler.
Planned Future Attacks: Investigators allege the module was preparing additional grenade attacks targeting police establishments across Punjab in an attempt to destabilize the state's security environment.
Ongoing Investigation: Security agencies are continuing efforts to identify the wider network, trace logistical support, and dismantle the cross-border terror infrastructure linked to the case.
IntelHQ Assessment
The case highlights the continuing use of overseas-based handlers, local operatives, and cross-border support networks to orchestrate terror activities in Punjab. Disrupting these modules remains critical to preventing future attacks and safeguarding internal security.
India's participation in FCAS would mark a significant leap in its long-term air power strategy, providing access to advanced technologies while accelerating the Indian Air Force's transition towards sixth-generation combat capabilities.
NIA ARRESTS 3 MORE IN KERALA ILLEGAL EXPLOSIVES CASE
NIA Action: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Mantagoud Biradar, Bapagoud Bheeramaya Choudri, and Prakash Gauda Biradar in connection with the Kerala illegal explosives case.
Massive Seizure: On 7 February 2026, Kerala Police intercepted a lorry carrying 89,600 gelatin sticks (448 boxes) and 10,500 non-electric detonators (35 boxes) concealed inside the vehicle.
Recovery Site: The consignment was recovered from a lorry parked at Farha Hollow Bricks Company, opposite an Indian Oil petrol pump on the Chemmad–Thalappara Road in Malappuram, Kerala.
Multi-State Probe: After taking over the investigation, the NIA conducted coordinated searches at 19 locations across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu to identify the network behind the procurement, transport, and intended use of the explosives.
IntelHQ Assessment: The case highlights the importance of monitoring illegal explosives supply chains, as such materials can pose significant risks if diverted for unlawful activities. Investigators are continuing to trace the broader network and determine the intended destination of the consignment.
🚨 A disturbing new dimension in the alleged JeM-linked Hamim Mondal case.
WB STF has arrested Arpita Sarkar, accused of helping build contacts, honey-trap targets and gather sensitive information.
If investigators establish the full network, this isn’t just a terror case—it’s a warning about how social engineering is becoming a weapon of espionage.
UPDATE | HONEY-TRAP, ENCRYPTED CHATS & ALLEGED ISI LINKS: INSIDE THE HAMIM MONDAL–ARPITA SARKAR NETWORK
Investigators have uncovered what they describe as a sophisticated network that allegedly combined social engineering, encrypted communications, and cross-border handlers to gather intelligence and identify high-value targets.
📍 Arpita Sarkar
🔸 According to investigators, she initially communicated through Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, before allegedly shifting to the encrypted platform Element X to coordinate with Hamim Mondal.
🔸 Police allege she leveraged her work in event management and photography to gain access to influential individuals, using honey-trap tactics to collect sensitive information and allegedly extort targets.
🔸 Investigators also claim she was planning to target the son of a minister from Howrah.
📍 Hamim Mondal
🔸 Investigators allege Mondal used Element X to coordinate operations and exchange target details with Arpita.
🔸 He is also alleged to have communicated with Pakistan-based handlers identified as "Rana," "Abir," "Habib," and "333" using encrypted chats and SIM cards reportedly linked to the UK and Mexico.
🔸 According to the investigation, Mondal maintained links with networks allegedly associated with Pakistan's ISI, terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and organised crime.
IntelHQ Assessment
This case illustrates how modern hostile networks may blend HUMINT (human intelligence), social engineering, encrypted messaging, and criminal ecosystems to support intelligence collection and recruitment. If the allegations are substantiated, it would represent another example of the convergence of terrorism, organised crime, and digital tradecraft.
UPDATE | HONEY-TRAP, ENCRYPTED CHATS & ALLEGED ISI LINKS: INSIDE THE HAMIM MONDAL–ARPITA SARKAR NETWORK
Investigators have uncovered what they describe as a sophisticated network that allegedly combined social engineering, encrypted communications, and cross-border handlers to gather intelligence and identify high-value targets.
📍 Arpita Sarkar
🔸 According to investigators, she initially communicated through Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, before allegedly shifting to the encrypted platform Element X to coordinate with Hamim Mondal.
🔸 Police allege she leveraged her work in event management and photography to gain access to influential individuals, using honey-trap tactics to collect sensitive information and allegedly extort targets.
🔸 Investigators also claim she was planning to target the son of a minister from Howrah.
📍 Hamim Mondal
🔸 Investigators allege Mondal used Element X to coordinate operations and exchange target details with Arpita.
🔸 He is also alleged to have communicated with Pakistan-based handlers identified as "Rana," "Abir," "Habib," and "333" using encrypted chats and SIM cards reportedly linked to the UK and Mexico.
🔸 According to the investigation, Mondal maintained links with networks allegedly associated with Pakistan's ISI, terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and organised crime.
IntelHQ Assessment
This case illustrates how modern hostile networks may blend HUMINT (human intelligence), social engineering, encrypted messaging, and criminal ecosystems to support intelligence collection and recruitment. If the allegations are substantiated, it would represent another example of the convergence of terrorism, organised crime, and digital tradecraft.
The reported crackdown on protesters in PoJK raises serious concerns. Governments earn legitimacy by protecting the rights of their people, not by suppressing dissent through force.
INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya lead India's Carrier Battle Groups, protected by destroyers, frigates, submarines, fighter aircraft, and layered air-defense systems.
🇸🇦🇹🇷🇵🇰 Saudi Arabia, Türkiye & Pakistan Sign Mutual Defence Pact
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a trilateral security pact under which an armed attack on one member will be treated as an attack on all. The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence, expand defence cooperation, and deepen intelligence and military coordination amid growing instability in the Middle East. Officials have described the pact as defensive and not directed against any specific country.
🇮🇳 What does it mean for India?
Closer Pakistan–Türkiye defence ties: The pact could provide Pakistan with broader access to Turkish defence technology, training, and joint military cooperation under a wider trilateral framework.
Saudi Arabia's balancing act: While Saudi Arabia has signed this agreement, it also maintains strong strategic, economic, and energy ties with India. The pact does not automatically signal a shift away from India.
Maritime implications: Increased military coordination among the three countries could influence security dynamics from the Arabian Sea to the Western Indian Ocean, an area of strategic importance for India.
Strategic monitoring: India is expected to closely assess how the agreement evolves in practice particularly whether it leads to regular joint exercises, intelligence sharing, defence-industrial cooperation, or operational commitments. The long-term impact will depend on implementation rather than the announcement alone.
The agreement is a notable geopolitical development, but its practical significance will depend on the military mechanisms that follow. For India, the key issue is not the signing itself, but whether it results in deeper operational defence cooperation that could affect the regional security balance.
🇸🇦🇹🇷🇵🇰 Saudi Arabia, Türkiye & Pakistan Sign Mutual Defence Pact
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a trilateral security pact under which an armed attack on one member will be treated as an attack on all. The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence, expand defence cooperation, and deepen intelligence and military coordination amid growing instability in the Middle East. Officials have described the pact as defensive and not directed against any specific country.
🇮🇳 What does it mean for India?
Closer Pakistan–Türkiye defence ties: The pact could provide Pakistan with broader access to Turkish defence technology, training, and joint military cooperation under a wider trilateral framework.
Saudi Arabia's balancing act: While Saudi Arabia has signed this agreement, it also maintains strong strategic, economic, and energy ties with India. The pact does not automatically signal a shift away from India.
Maritime implications: Increased military coordination among the three countries could influence security dynamics from the Arabian Sea to the Western Indian Ocean, an area of strategic importance for India.
Strategic monitoring: India is expected to closely assess how the agreement evolves in practice particularly whether it leads to regular joint exercises, intelligence sharing, defence-industrial cooperation, or operational commitments. The long-term impact will depend on implementation rather than the announcement alone.
The agreement is a notable geopolitical development, but its practical significance will depend on the military mechanisms that follow. For India, the key issue is not the signing itself, but whether it results in deeper operational defence cooperation that could affect the regional security balance.
Russia claims three dry cargo vessels carrying military cargo for the Ukrainian Armed Forces were struck in the Black Sea.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the ships were transporting military-purpose supplies. The claim remains independently unverified.