Secret spots, clandestine meets: How Jahangirpuri terror plot suspects received weapons

The “dead drop” method involves a prearranged secret spot, where one person leaves a message or material for another to pick up

The handlers of two terror suspects, arrested from northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri last week, used the “dead drop” method to pass explosive items, arms and ammunition to them in order to ensure that the exact source of the weapons could not be identified or traced, Delhi Police special cell officers associated with the probe said on Monday.

Officers probing the case said the two suspects received two hand grenades after their handlers based in Pakistan and Canada sent them the Google location of a spot in Uttarakhand on an encrypted messaging application, along with photographs of nearby landmarks.

The “dead drop” method involves a prearranged secret spot, where one person leaves a message or material for another to pick up.

Naushad Ali, 56, a resident of Jahangirpuri, and Jagjit Singh alias Jagga alias Yakub, 29, a resident of Uddham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand, were arrested last Thursday. Police said the men, who were in touch with a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handler in Pakistan and Canada-based terrorist Arshdeep Dalla, were planning to target “right-wing leaders” in neighbouring states. Upon their interrogation, police recovered a dismembered body chopped up into at least eight pieces from a drain in Bhalswa Dairy and wetlands in the adjoining areas.

Officers probing the case said the two suspects received two hand grenades after their handlers based in Pakistan and Canada sent them the Google location of a spot in Uttarakhand on an encrypted messaging application, along with photographs of nearby landmarks.

They said the investigating team is looking for at least five people suspected to be part of the terror conspiracy, wherein terror outfits and gangsters joined hands to execute “target killings” of some right-wing leaders through Naushad and Jagjit.

“These absconding suspects are the ones who arranged explosives and weapons for the duo on the instructions of the key conspirators. The two had also received around ₹5 lakh for killing a man, chopping off his body into multiple pieces, recording a video of the killing and forwarding it to their handlers to prove they were ready for the target killings. The money had reached them through hawala channels. We are also trying to identify and nab members of the hawala channels,” said a senior investigator probing the case.

A separate case of murder and destruction of evidence was registered after police recovered some decomposed pieces of a body. Though the body had a tattoo, the recovered parts were so badly decomposed that even the family members of the suspected victim have not been able to identify him.

On being asked why the two terror suspects chose the man for the killing, another special cell officer said that he was Hindu, a drug-addict, and often roamed the streets of Jahangirpuri and Bhalswa Dairy under the influence.

Meanwhile, a hushed silence has befallen Gali number 17 in Jahangirpuri’s B block, where Naushad lived. Residents of the 20-odd houses in the lane -- less than a kilometre away from the spot where communal clashes broke out last April -- are shocked that their neighbour has been arrested for having alleged terror links.

“We are shocked and in fear after learning that a man having terror links was living near us,” said a woman living in a flat right next door to Naushad.

Another neighbour, a Muslim, feared that Naushad’s arrest has made them vulnerable. “There are only five Muslim families in this lane. Many of us are living under fear after what Naushad has done. I feel I should not have purchased the property in this area,” he said.