Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 7 : The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has uncovered a terror conspiracy and arrested two suspects linked to a Pakistan-based network.
Officials said that Daniyal Ashraf was held from Barabanki and Krishna Mishra from Gorakhpur and were found to be connected with Inter-Services Intelligence and Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti.
The officials said that social media was being used to build sleeper cells and the targets included sensitive institutions and police establishments.
They said that evidence recovered from phones includes video calls, chats, and location-sharing records.
Investigation also revealed hat a police station was surveyed and its video was sent to Pakistan.
The accused had allegedly demanded funds and weapons to execute the planned attacks. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network.
On April 24, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad arrested two gangsters operating under the influence of Pakistan-based handlers and the ISI.
The suspects, identified as twenty-year-olds Tushar Chauhan, alias Hizbullah Ali Khan, and Samir Khan, were caught with a pistol, live ammunition, and a knife.
The action followed intelligence that these gangsters, acting on the instructions of the ISI, were attempting to compromise India's internal security. They had been collaborating with terrorist organisations and gangsters to incite youth through Instagram and various social media platforms, according to ATS.
The two terrorists worked with gangsters Shahzad Bhatti and Abid Jatt and aimed to create sleeper cells to execute targeted killings and reconnaissance of sensitive locations.
According to UP ATS, Bhatti allegedly offered Tushar a sum of 300,000 rupees, a portion of which was paid in advance, and promised him a passport and safe passage to Pakistan via Dubai after the attacks.