The Amritsar police on Wednesday claimed to have foiled a major terror conspiracy by arresting a man allegedly linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and recovering a hand grenade, a Glock 9mm pistol and four live cartridges from his possession.

The accused, identified as Sumit Kumar alias Pandit (24), is a native of Sukhsal village in Ropar district and was residing at Pandori Waraich in Amritsar Rural. He was arrested following specific intelligence inputs and technical surveillance.

Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said a Glock 9mm pistol and four live cartridges were recovered during the initial search. During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed the location of a hand grenade, which was subsequently recovered, exposing what police described as a cross-border terror conspiracy.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Sumit had come into contact with Pakistan-based ISI operatives through Instagram and remained in regular communication with them. According to police, his handlers supplied him with the pistol and grenade and were allegedly motivating him to carry out a major terrorist attack in the region.

Police suspect that, acting on the directions of his Pakistan-based handlers, the accused was planning to target police establishments and other public places to disturb peace and public order.

Police also recovered the motorcycle allegedly used by the accused.

Bhullar said Sumit was previously booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act by Pojewal police in SBS Nagar in 2023 in a case involving the recovery of 10 grams of heroin.

A fresh case has been registered against the accused at Cantonment police station under relevant provisions of the Arms Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Explosives Act.

Police said further investigation is underway to identify the accused’s associates, trace the cross-border network and ascertain whether others were involved in the alleged conspiracy.