New Delhi: Eight suspects with alleged links to ISI and Bangladesh-based extremist groups have been arrested in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, amid intelligence alerts warning of a possible terror plot targeting Delhi’s Red Fort and prominent temples.According to the Delhi Police, six of the accused were arrested from various locations in Tamil Nadu, including Uthukuli, Palalladam and Tirumurujapurdi, while two others were detained in West Bengal during follow-up proceedings, news agency ANI reported. Some of those detained are suspected to be Bangladeshi citizens. They are all brought to Delhi for further questioning.
Major terror alert in Delhi as LeT targets temple near Red Fort months after deadly blast
Police said the operation was launched following specific intelligence information about a unit allegedly planning subversive activities across the country.
“Dozens of mobile phones and SIM cards were found,” a police source said, adding that digital material was being analyzed to trace the wider network and potential foreign dealers.Investigators believe the group was communicating via social media and allegedly posted content supportive of terrorist groups based in Pakistan. Four of the accused are said to have traveled to Delhi earlier, where they pasted ‘Free Kashmir’ posters at a metro station during an international summit before returning to Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
During the searches, officers recovered eight mobile phones and 16 SIM cards from Tamil Nadu locations alone. Police said some of the suspects were working in the garment industry while they were allegedly using fake Aadhaar cards to hide their identities.
The Red Fort and temples are on alert
The arrests come days after security agencies issued a high alert in the national capital following information indicating that the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba had kept key religious sites on its radar.
The areas around the Red Fort and parts of Chandni Chowk have been identified as sensitive areas.Sources, cited by ANI, indicated that a temple in Chandni Chowk area could be a possible target and that the group may be planning an IED attack. The alleged plan is believed to be linked to attempts to retaliate for the February 6 mosque explosion in Islamabad.Security has since been tightened across major religious and heritage sites in Delhi. CCTV surveillance has been intensified, vehicle inspections have been increased, and bomb disposal teams and sniffer dog units have been deployed at strategic locations.This alert comes in the wake of a deadly car explosion near the Red Fort in November 2025 that killed at least 13 people and injured more than 20 others.
