On Thursday, Delhi police dismantled an Al-Qaeda module, arresting 11 individuals and detaining three others across Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The operation involved at least 15 raids conducted in coordination with local police forces, following intelligence inputs.
The action came after the Special Cell of Delhi police registered a criminal conspiracy case under Section 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on July 15. The anti-terror unit had been tracking the suspects since then, according to PTI.
Details of the Arrests
In Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi, six individuals were apprehended during weapons training. They are Hasan Ansari, Enamul Ansari, Altaf Ansari, Arshad Khan, Umar Farooq, and Shahbaz Ansari, all from Jharkhand but residing in Rajasthan recently.
In Ranchi, Jharkhand, five people were arrested: Ishtiyaq Ahmed, Motiur, Rizwan, Mufti Rahmatullah, and Faizan. Additionally, three individuals were detained in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, for further questioning.
During the raids, the police recovered a range of weapons and equipment, including an AK-47 rifle, a .38 bore revolver, six live cartridges of .38 bore, 30 live cartridges of .32 bore, 30 live cartridges for the AK-47, a dummy Insas rifle, an air rifle, an iron elbow pipe, a hand grenade, a remote control mechanism, wires, a 1.5-volt AA battery, a table watch, four ground sheets, a target, a camping tent, and various food items.
Investigation Findings
According to Delhi police, the module was led by Dr. Ishtiyaq from Ranchi and aimed to establish a ‘khilafat’ while planning serious terrorist activities within India. There is speculation that the group was preparing for a terror attack in northern India during the upcoming festive season.
A senior police officer involved in the investigation revealed that the module had been active for several months, with members connecting via social media. The group had undergone weapon handling training in the Aravalli Hills of Rajasthan.
