Gurdaspur grenade attack, threats to Bishnoi brothers: Why Pak gangster Shehzad Bhatti is in spotlight

Following this, a video surfaced on Bhatti’s purported Instagram account in which he stated that he had not threatened Anmol, but added that he could “do anything he wanted” and that the Bishnoi brothers are well aware of his power.

Security agencies are now seeking information about the gangster, who is believed to be purportedly operating at the behest of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).

Who is Shehzad Bhatti ?

According to sources, Bhatti has allegedly been involved in criminal activities, including bomb-making and the supply of illegal arms and ammunition to India, Dubai, US, and Canada.

The Delhi Police said Bhatti and his associates targeted young Indians through social media — they select potential recruits by scanning their social media profiles and lure them with money. Handlers remotely control the entire operation — including reconnaissance, cash payments, logistics, and target selection.

The probe revealed that this was a structured terror module that allegedly uses monetary incentives, remote instructions, and disposable foot soldiers to carry out grenade attacks in public places in India.

Police said the Gurdaspur attack was allegedly executed on Bhatti’s directions, who has been coordinating terror operations using encrypted communication platforms and social media channels.

According to a Delhi Police officer, it is suspected that he is operating from Dubai and is closely associated with Balochistan-based gangster Farooq Khokhar.

Bhatti’s name popped up last year after a purported 19-second video on social media showed Lawrence speaking to him on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha in June 2024.

Security agencies also received inputs that Bhatti helped Zeeshan Akhtar, one of the key conspirators in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddiqui in Mumbai last year, in fleeing India after the attack. This attack was allegedly masterminded by Anmol, according to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.

Lawrence vs Shehzad

The relationship between Bhatti and Lawrence allegedly soured after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, sources said.

A purported social media post written by the Bishnoi gang stated that they would enter Pakistan to eliminate those responsible for killing innocent people in Pahalgam. Following this, Bhatti released a video on his Instagram account, claiming that Lawrence could not even kill a bird in any country.

In the video, he also claimed that he had proof of who directed Lawrence to kill Siddiqui and Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. He said that if anyone spoke against his country (Pakistan), they would no longer be his friend. He also dared Lawrence and his gang to come to Pakistan.

Slew of threats

In November 2024, Bhatti allegedly threatened Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty over his purported comment against the Muslim community and advised him to apologise within 10-15 days.

In March 2024, he was allegedly involved in orchestrating a grenade attack at the residence of YouTuber Rozer Sandhu in Jalandhar, Punjab, and later posted a video on Instagram claiming responsibility. Although no one was injured in the incident, a purported video showing a man throwing the grenade had surfaced.