MUMBAI — An Indian man accused of orchestrating terror attacks in the northern state of Punjab has been arrested in the US.

On Friday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said Harpreet Singh had been arrested by the FBI and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Sacramento.

The FBI alleged that Singh was linked to two international terrorist groups and had entered the US illegally and had been using burner phones to evade arrest.

Singh is in custody and has not commented on the allegations yet.

In a post on X, the FBI called Singh an "alleged terrorist responsible for terror attacks in Punjab, India".

According to local media, Singh is linked to 14 of 16 grenade attacks in Punjab over the past seven months, targeting police posts, religious sites and homes of public figures.

Singh, who is also known as Happy Passia, is specifically wanted by Indian authorities in connection with a grenade attack on a house in Chandigarh city in 2024.

According to India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), the attack was aimed at a retired Punjab police officer.

In January, the NIA announced a reward of 500,000 rupees ($5,855; £4414) to anyone who shared information about Singh.

In March, the NIA brought formal charges against four people, including Singh, over the attack.

The NIA said in a statement that the four belonged to Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) - a militant organization that aims to create an independent state of Khalistan in the Punjab region. India has designated BKI a terrorist group.

The statement also named Singh and Harwinder Singh Sandhu - also known as Rinda - and referred to the two men as "terrorists", as the "primary handlers and masterminds behind the attack".

"They had provided logistical support, terror funds, weapons and ammunition to India-based on-ground operatives in Chandigarh for executing the grenade attack," it said.

It added that investigations had revealed Singh and Sandhu had orchestrated the conspiracy to "strike terror among law enforcement officials and general public".

Sandhu's whereabouts are not known and he is listed as a "most wanted" suspect by the NIA. — BBC