Shama Parveen Ansari, who resided in Bengaluru, was taken into custody by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on July 29 for allegedly disseminating extremist ideologies linked to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), a proscribed terrorist group. Authorities claim that Ansari used her social media platforms to push radical narratives and called for militant actions against India.
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According to the ATS, Ansari managed two Facebook pages and one Instagram account with a total following of around 10,000. These platforms were reportedly used to circulate violent, anti-national content, including speeches from extremist clerics and propaganda material supporting AQIS ideologies, news agency PTI reported.
Following India's launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7 — an anti-terror campaign targeting militant hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — Ansari publicly urged Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir to take aggressive military action against India. In a May 9 social media post, she called on Munir to seize what she described as a "golden opportunity" to restore Islamic rule under the banner of "Project Khilafat" and dismantle ideologies like Hindutva and Zionism, the report said.
READ | Bengaluru woman arrested by Gujarat ATS for alleged Al-Qaeda links, online extremist activities
{{/usCountry}}READ | Bengaluru woman arrested by Gujarat ATS for alleged Al-Qaeda links, online extremist activities
{{/usCountry}}In another post, Ansari shared a video of an Islamic preacher allegedly criticizing Indian Muslims for showing solidarity with Indian armed forces and for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack. She also reposted content from Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Aziz of Lahore, who called for armed rebellion to bring about an Islamic caliphate in India.
A third video posted by Ansari allegedly featured an AQIS leader encouraging violent campaigns against Indian democracy and the Hindu community, invoking the narrative of “Ghazwa-e-Hind” — a radical concept advocating for the conquest of India.
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Investigators revealed that Ansari had connections to one of four individuals arrested two weeks earlier in a coordinated operation across several states. These individuals also allegedly used Instagram to share similar extremist content, the report added.
All five have been charged under multiple provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act as the authorities continue their probe into their suspected efforts to incite violence and promote terror-linked narratives within India.
(With inputs from PTI)