Attack on BJP leader's house: All about 'key conspirators' Zeeshan Akhtar and Shahzad Bhatti

Hours after a blast at Punjab BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia's residence in Jalandhar on Tuesday morning, the police have claimed the involvement of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in the grenade attack. Addressing a press conference, ADGP Arpit Shukla has said that two gangsters, Zeeshan Akhtar and Shahzad Bhatti, were the "key conspirators".

Zeeshan is a criminal from Jalandhar, Punjab, with a history of organised crime, murder and robbery. He was arrested in 2012 and later released in June 2024. Zeeshan is also suspected to have coordinated with the shooters in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai, providing logistic support and information to them.

Shahzad Bhatti, on the other hand, is a Pakistan-based gangster, who had claimed responsibility for a grenade attack on social media influencer Rozer Sandhu’s house in Jalandhar in March 2025. Bhatti alleged the attack was in retaliation to comments that “disrespected Islam”. He has also been linked to other criminal activities and has connections with individuals like Lawrence Bishnoi.