2 men arrested in UP for sharing info on key locations, religious sites with Pakistan-based gangster network

HAPUR: Two alleged operatives linked to a Pakistan-based gangster network were arrested from the Dhaulana area of Hapur district for allegedly sending photos, videos, and location details of religious sites and key locations to their handlers across the border, police said on Thursday. The accused have been identified as Azeem Rana, a resident of Peeplehda in Dhaulana, and Azad Rajput from Jai village in Meerut district. Dhaulana police arrested both men, and two mobile phones were recovered from their possession, officials said. Preliminary investigation revealed that Rana ran a dry fruits stall at a mall in Delhi, while Rajput worked as a contractor at a pipe factory in Gurugram, according to news agency PTI. According to Superintendent of Police Kunwar Gyananjay Singh, the duo was in contact with an ISI-backed network linked to Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti through social media platforms since December 2025. During interrogation, the accused admitted to sharing photographs, videos, and location details of a metro station area in west Delhi, a nearby temple, and adjoining residential colonies with their handlers. They also allegedly sent similar inputs related to a temple in the Bisrakh area of Greater Noida, police said. The suspects were in regular touch with their handler via social media and messaging platforms, including WhatsApp, and had also conducted reconnaissance of a prominent temple in Delhi, officials added. Police said the inputs were being shared on instructions from the Pakistan-based handler, raising suspicions of a possible larger conspiracy targeting religious places. Authorities suspect that the information could have been intended for planning a major terror attack, similar to past incidents. The arrests were made following inputs from central intelligence agencies. Afterwards, multiple agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), joined the probe and began questioning the accused. Officials said efforts are underway to identify other members of the network and trace the links of the accused. Police are also verifying local contacts of the duo in the Dhaulana area.