The deportation of three operatives of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) from Malaysia in connection with the recovery of a Chinese-made live hand grenade from Ludhiana is set to spill the beans about the deep-rooted network of ISI in Punjab and neighboring states.The special team formed by the Ludhiana police will interrogate the suspects to unearth the network of Pakistan’s agency. Anyone found involved in the network will face the law, hinted a senior police official of Ludhiana police. Notably, in October 2015, a live hand grenade was found in Jodhewal area, and three persons were arrested. Their questioning led to further arrests in the first week of November 2025, and then the total number of arrested persons reached 10.These ISI operatives aimed at triggering unrest in Punjab by carrying out a grenade attack in a crowded area of the city. Acting on credible intelligence inputs, the police registered an FIR on October 27 under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Explosives Act and Section 113 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station Jodhewal.The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) had also been invoked, and Red Corner Notices (RCNs) had been issued for foreign-based suspects identified as Ajay Singh, Jass Behbal, and Pawandeep, all residents of Malaysia and originally from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.The three more arrested ISI operatives belong to Rajasthan and are connected with the Davinder Bambiha gang, and are further working for the ISI. Acting at the behest of ISI, they had enrolled many others in the network from Punjab and neighboring states.Even the grenade was arranged by them, and cross-border delivery was ensured. Before the accused could carry out any blasts, Ludhiana police foiled the terror bid and busted the network, said Additional DCP-1 Sameer Verma. “Currently, Ajay Singh and Pawandeep are in the custody of Ludhiana police, while Jas Behbal is in the custody of Faridkot police.Their questioning will definitely provide vital leads about the ISI’s network in Punjab and neighboring states. These youths are being exploited by ISI by offering them meager sums or other kinds of benefits and, in return, forcing them to spread terror in Punjab. The trio are on a five-day police remand, and the police will divulge further details later,” asserted ADCP Verma.Meanwhile, police sources said that being part of the notorious Davinder Bambiha gang, these gang members were also part of a big extortion network. The accused also carried out firing at the behest of their bosses if money was not paid. Big industrialists and businessmen were targets of the gang. Commissioner of Police Ludhiana Swapan Sharma had earlier hinted that ISI was hiring youngsters from other states to spread terror in Punjab.This highlights a dangerous trend wherein Pakistan-based handlers are deliberately recruiting criminals from other states to commit terror acts in Punjab so that they can operate under the radar and are difficult to identify. Youths from Bihar, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra are being recruited to orchestrate grenade attacks in Punjab.