Thu. Feb 13th, 2025

All three terror suspects apprehended in today’s crackdown on the ISIS network in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are engineers with expertise in bomb-making, according to the police. HGS Dhaliwal, a senior officer in the Delhi Police Special Cell, announced that one of the detainees, Mohammad Shahnawaz, was on the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) most-wanted list. The NIA had offered a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh each for information leading to the arrest of Shahnawaz and two others, who were allegedly involved in various bombings across the country. Two of Shahnawaz’s associates, Mohammed Rizwan Ashraf and Mohammed Arshad Warsi, were also arrested. Shahnawaz was apprehended in Jaitpur, Delhi, while Rizwan and Ashraf were caught in Lucknow and Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, respectively.

During the raid at Shahnawaz’s hideout in Delhi, police recovered a pistol, bomb-making materials, chemicals, and jihadi literature from Pakistan. The three suspects had conducted surveillance in different parts of the country and tested bombs. They maintained regular contact with their ISIS handler and shared reports. They had been instructed to procure their materials locally to avoid exposing any external involvement in their activities.

Shahnawaz hails from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand and holds a degree in mining engineering. He possessed knowledge of engineering blasts. His wife, who had converted to Islam before their marriage, is currently on the run. Mohammed Arshad Warsi, also from Jharkhand, completed a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Aligarh University and was pursuing a doctorate from Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi. Mohammed Rizwan Ashraf, originally from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, holds a BTech in computer science and has also received training as a cleric.

Mr. Dhaliwal stated that this ongoing crackdown has exposed the pan-India module of ISIS. Their aim was to target well-known individuals and cause maximum casualties. He added that the police have also uncovered the funding trail behind these activities.

By admin