The ISI’s strategy of bringing gangsters and terrorists together, initially tested in Punjab, is now expanding to Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Northeastern states. By merging these networks, the ISI aims to pool common resources for more effective operations. This collaboration involves gangsters aiding terror groups in logistics, attacks, narcotics supply, recruitment, and financing.
In Punjab, the ISI orchestrated partnerships between local and international gangsters to collaborate with terror networks, enhancing their operational capabilities. These gangster networks play a crucial role in facilitating drug trafficking, funding terror activities, and recruiting individuals for minor attacks. Recent raids in Punjab and Maharashtra have exposed the ISI’s efforts to merge these networks into a unified entity.
The Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Maharashtra recently uncovered a significant gangster-terror network operating across various cities in the state. Utilizing social media platforms, the ISI-backed elements recruit youth to support drug trafficking and raise funds for terrorist activities. The coordination between different gangs, such as the Shahzad Bhatti and Dogar Gang, highlights a well-organized mechanism to enable drug sales and other illicit operations.
Intelligence reports suggest that the ISI’s ultimate goal is to consolidate gangsters and terrorists nationwide, assigning specific operational territories to each group. This convergence poses challenges for security agencies, creating complexities in distinguishing between cash-driven gangsters and ideologically motivated terror groups. Despite their differing motives, both networks serve the ISI’s agenda of instigating terror in India through various means, including bombings, fidayeen attacks, drug trafficking, and financial terrorism.
The emerging gangster-terror network presents a significant security concern, requiring coordinated efforts between central and state agencies to counter this evolving threat. Monitoring social media platforms is crucial, as they serve as primary channels for network communication, recruitment, and coordination, complicating the task of law enforcement agencies in dismantling these illicit operations.
