‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ plot busted: Gujarat ATS arrests 2 youths; ISIS module planned to target RSS leaders

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested two persons for allegedly conspiring to establish "Ghazwa-e-Hind", officers said on Tuesday. The suspects, identified as Irfankhan Pathan, 22, and Murshid Shaikh, 21, were arrested after monitoring suspected anti-India activities on social media and the internet through technical and human inputs. Pathan was arrested from Siddhpur in Patan district. and his questioning led police to Shaikh, a resident of Mumbai's Saki Naka. Shaikh was nabbed with assistance of Maharashtra Police and brought to Gujarat for questioning. According to the ATS, Pathan was in contact with individuals and groups with radical Islamic ideologies and allegedly involved in planning activities against the Govt of India. Data recovered from his mobile phone indicated communication through WhatsApp and Instagram with persons linked to ISIS and other groups.The ATS stated that Pathan and his associates were allegedly planning to target political leaders, individuals linked to the RSS and others. Their plan included mobilizing persons from different states, training them on weapons and explosives, and arranging funds to carry out the acts in different parts of the country. Police said he was in touch with people outside India to procure weapons. Officers said material recovered from Shaikh's mobile phone included chats indicating communication with Pathan regarding the alleged activities.An offence was registered at the ATS police station under Sections 61 and 148 of the BNS for criminal conspiracy and waging war against the nation. Both accused have been remanded to 11 days' police custody.