NIA Chargesheets 2 in Cross-Border Plot to Bomb Passenger Train

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has uncovered an alleged cross-border terror conspiracy involving the smuggling of an improvised explosive device (IED), firearms and heroin into India, with investigators alleging that one of the accused was tasked with planting the explosive on a passenger train.

The anti-terror agency on Friday filed a chargesheet before the NIA Special Court in Mohali against Shubham Kumar, who has been arrested, and Jasvir Chaudhary, who remains absconding.

The case originated in February 2026 when the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, arrested Kumar. According to the NIA, he was allegedly found carrying a live IED packed inside a metallic case, along with a remote-control device, a foreign-made .30 bore pistol, a magazine, 20 live cartridges, a mobile phone and heroin.

The NIA took over the investigation in March and subsequently unearthed what it described as a wider conspiracy involving a Pakistan-based handler and his associates in India. The network allegedly facilitated the procurement and movement of arms, explosives and narcotics through cross-border channels.

Investigators have alleged that Kumar had been assigned the task of planting a timer-activated IED on a passenger train. The broader conspiracy, according to the agency, was not limited to a single target and envisaged attacks at multiple locations, including Punjab and Delhi.

The NIA said its investigation has so far resulted in the collection of substantial oral, documentary and digital evidence establishing the alleged conspiracy and the respective roles of the two accused.

The agency is continuing its probe to identify other members of the suspected terror network and establish the full extent of its operations. Investigators are also examining the channels allegedly used to move explosives, weapons and other contraband across the India-Pakistan international border.

The chargesheet marks a significant development in the case as the NIA works to trace the wider network and uncover the identities of other individuals allegedly involved in the conspiracy.