Delhi Police busts Al-Qaeda module; 11 people arrested from 3 states

Following intelligence inputs, an operation was carried out in collaboration with the police forces from Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

Delhi Police on Thursday busted an Al-Qaeda module, arresting 11 people and detaining three others across Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

Official sources indicated that Delhi Police Special Cell teams have conducted raids at 15 locations across the three states. (File) (Sunil Ghosh/HT photo)

“The module, as per the current state of operations, was being led by one Dr. Ishtiyaq of Ranchi (Jharkhand), and it was aspiring to declare 'khilafat' and execute serious terrorist activities within the country,” a Delhi Police statement said, according to news agency PTI.

Based on intelligence inputs, an operation was carried out in collaboration with the police forces from the involved states. Official sources indicated that Delhi Police Special Cell teams have conducted raids at 15 locations across the three states, reported PTI.

The recovered items included one AK-47 rifle, a .38 bore revolver, six live cartridges of .38 bore, 30 live cartridges of .32 bore, and 30 live cartridges for the AK-47. Authorities also found a dummy Insas rifle, an air rifle, and an iron elbow pipe. The cache also contained one hand grenade, a key remote control mechanism, some wires, a 1.5-volt AA battery, a table watch, four ground sheets, a target, a camping tent, and various food items such as biscuits, a packet of chips, and a water bottle.

The Special Cell registered a case under Section 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on July 15. Since then, the anti-terror unit has been gathering information about the suspects, according to sources, quoted by PTI.

Here is how the arrests took place

Six people were arrested in Rajasthan's Bhiwadi, while undergoing weapons training, according to a police officer quoted by PTI. The arrested individuals are Hasan Ansari, Enamul Ansari, Altaf Ansari, Arshad Khan, Umar Farooq, and Shahbaz Ansari, all residents of Jharkhand. They had been residing in Rajasthan for the past few days.

Five more people were arrested in Ranchi, Jharkhand, following their arrest. The officer further said that the additional suspects were identified as Ishtiyaq Ahmed, Motiur, Rizwan, Mufti Rahmatullah, and Faizan.

Members of the terror module received training, including weapon handling, at various locations, such as the jungles of the Aravalli Hills in Rajasthan, according to another officer. A large-scale operation was conducted in these hill jungles to apprehend the suspects.

The Delhi Police also reported that three additional individuals were detained from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh for questioning.

There is suspicion that the module was planning to carry out a terror attack in northern India during the upcoming festive season, the police added.

A senior police officer involved in the operations revealed that the Al-Qaeda module has been active for several months, with its members coordinating through social media.