NEW DELHI: In a multi-state anti-terrorism operation, a special cell of Delhi Police busted a terror unit comprising extremist individuals associated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group. Eight suspects were arrested, seven of whom were Bangladeshi nationals with Indian Aadhaar cards.A major terrorist attack was thwarted through arrests. The temple in Chandni Chowk was one of the targets as its pictures were found on the suspects’ devices. The car bomb explosion that was reported last November took place near this temple located near the Red Fort.The operation began after a series of provocative posters were pasted in metro stations. The poster incident in Delhi was revealed to be a calculated act of psychological warfare and a test of the unit’s mobility.
On February 8, the CISF lodged a complaint with the police that unidentified individuals had pasted pro-Pakistan and pro-terrorism posters at Janpath and other metro stations, a major security breach ahead of the Amnesty International summit.The posters praised slain terrorist Burhan Wani and carried slogans such as “India stop genocide and liberate Kashmir”, while other posters contained slogans in Urdu which when translated said “Hum Pakistani hain, Pakistan hamara hai” (We are Pakistanis, Pakistan is ours) and celebrated “Kashmir Solidarity Day”.
A case was registered and the investigation was transferred to the Special Cell. A team including ACP Lalit Mohan Negi, inspectors Sunil Rajen and Dheeraj has been formed to trace the digital and physical trail left by the culprits.
The preliminary investigation was conducted by the team of DCP Kushal Pal Singh of Metro Police.By conducting technical analysis of mobile phone data and transit patterns, the suspects were located in Kolkata.
On February 15, the Special Cell identified a hideout in Magirpara area of Hatiyara Guti, Kolkata. In a quick raid, the first two suspects were arrested: 31-year-old Umar Farooq, a resident of Aswintola in Malda, West Bengal, and 31-year-old Rubiul Islam, a Bangladeshi national from Thakur Gaon district.During interrogation, Farouk revealed a shocking timeline of extremism and intentions along with the location of his aides.On February 21, simultaneous raids were carried out in Tirupur, Tamil Nadu and six suspects were arrested. The arrested individuals have been identified as 32-year-old Muhammad Mizanur Rahman of Bogura District, 34-year-old Muhammad Safiyat Hussain of Galakathi District, 40-year-old Muhammad Zahidul Islam of Bogura, 40-year-old Muhammad Liton of Bogura, 27-year-old Muhammad Azal of Bogura, and 32-year-old Omar of Bogura.
Police confiscated 10 mobile phones filled with extremist content, 25 credit and debit cards, 5 point-of-sale devices, passports and original Bangladeshi identity cards that the suspects tried to throw away or hide.
