Bikaner Police arrested an 18-year-old man accused of providing an Indian SIM card to Pakistani gangster Shehzad Bhatti’s associates (AI-generated image)
Bikaner: Rajasthan Police have arrested an 18-year-old man accused of providing an Indian SIM card to associates of Pakistani gangster Shehzad Bhatti’s gang. The arrest came after investigators found that a WhatsApp account was being operated from Pakistan using an Indian mobile number registered in the name of Anil Kumar.
Anil Kumar, a resident of Godu village under Bajju Police Station, allegedly shared the one-time password (OTP) required to activate the SIM card with associates of Bhatti. The Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) initially detained him for questioning before handing him over to the local police, who subsequently arrested him.
According to investigators, the mobile number was activated on July 17. The ATS launched an operation the following day and detained Kumar from his residence on July 18. Investigators said he had allegedly been in regular contact with Uzair, an associate of Bhatti, for an extended period.
The ATS questioned Kumar for nearly a day before handing him over to the police on July 19. Authorities are now investigating his alleged links with terror networks, as well as claims that he displayed firearms on social media.
Security agencies have also intensified surveillance in Bikaner’s border areas, including Bajju, Khajuwala and Pugal, amid concerns over alleged cross-border criminal and espionage activities.
The region has witnessed several cases in recent years involving suspected honey-trap operations, espionage and alleged links with Pakistan’s intelligence network. In October 2023, a man from the Dantor area was arrested for allegedly sharing strategic and confidential information with Pakistani female operatives through social media.
Similarly, in the 2024–25 Mahajan Field Firing Range espionage case, a canteen operator, an e-Mitra operator and a railway employee were arrested for allegedly leaking information related to Army activities and maintaining contact with Pakistani female operatives.
More recently, in February 2026, Chinese-made pistols and ammunition were allegedly dropped by a drone near the Khajuwala border. The subsequent investigation reportedly uncovered an active cross-border smuggling network, prompting security agencies to maintain heightened vigilance along the border belt.
