Recent major counter-terror operations have busted a significant network that was plotting large-scale attacks in the Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) and other parts of North India. The most immediate and relevant bust occurred recently in Faridabad, which is part of the Delhi-NCR.
Here are the full details of the two most recent and relevant incidents:
1. Faridabad Explosives and Arms Haul (Delhi-NCR)
This bust was a joint operation between the Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Police and the Haryana Police that uncovered a massive cache of bomb-making material and weapons just outside Delhi.
đź“ť Key Details of the Seizure
- Location: A rented accommodation in the Dhouj area of Faridabad, Haryana (Delhi-NCR).
- Seized Materials: The recovery was significant and included components for multiple large-scale Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs):
- Explosive Material: Approximately 360 kg of highly inflammable material, suspected to be ammonium nitrate.
- Weapons: One assault rifle (clarified as similar to, but not an AK-47) with three magazines and 83 live rounds, and one pistol with eight live rounds.
- IED Components: 20 timers with batteries, 24 remote controls, electric wiring, 5 kg of heavy metal, and a walkie-talkie set.
- The Suspects:
- Dr. Muzammil Shakeel: An assistant professor and doctor from Pulwama, J&K, who was arrested in Faridabad. He had reportedly rented the accommodation specifically to store the materials.
- Dr. Adil Ahmad Rather: Another doctor from Pulwama, J&K, whose earlier arrest in Saharanpur, UP, provided the key interrogation leads that led police to the Faridabad cache.
- Alleged Affiliation: The module is suspected of having links to the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group and was allegedly coordinating with handlers operating from across the border to plan attacks in northern India.
2. Gujarat ATS Bust: Ricin and Drone-Smuggled Arms
While this operation took place in Gujarat, the plot explicitly targeted Delhi and other major Indian cities.
đź“ť Key Details of the Plot
- Arrests: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested three suspects, including a doctor from Hyderabad and two men from Uttar Pradesh (UP).
- Plot Target: The accused were allegedly conspiring to carry out terror attacks in multiple Indian cities, including Delhi, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad.
- Seized Materials:
- Weapons: Two Glock pistols, one Beretta pistol, and 30 live cartridges.
- Chemical Weapon Precursor: Four litres of castor oil, which the main accused was allegedly researching and procuring to produce Ricin, a highly toxic poison with no known antidote.
- Cross-Border Link: The suspects admitted to being in contact with a handler named Abu Khadija, an Afghanistan-based operative linked to the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP).
- Drone-Smuggled Arms: The accused confessed that the firearms were delivered to them from Pakistan-based handlers via drones in border areas of Rajasthan.
- Reconnaissance: The arrested doctor reportedly conducted reconnaissance of sensitive sites in the target cities, including Delhi.
In both instances, the coordinated efforts of Indian law enforcement and intelligence agencies successfully dismantled modules in the Delhi-NCR region and neighboring states, preventing what officials describe as potential large-scale terror strikes.
