Delhi Police Special Cell, in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad, has arrested Rizwan Ahmed in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar in a major counter-terror operation. He is being taken to Delhi on transit remand for detailed interrogation, with agencies expecting further leads and possible additional arrests.
According to intelligence sources, Ahmed has allegedly been linked to ISIS since 2015 and is believed to have played a significant role in recruitment activities within India. Authorities suspect he was involved in radicalising and influencing multiple individuals, helping build an extremist network.
During the operation, officials recovered bomb-making materials, incriminating documents, and jihadi literature from his possession, indicating possible preparation for terror activities. Investigators believe his questioning will provide crucial insights into the scale, structure, and operational reach of the network.
Ahmed had earlier been detained in 2015 in connection with terror-related activities and was lodged in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail. His reappearance has raised concerns among security agencies about the revival of dormant networks and sleeper cells.
Authorities are also examining whether he had direct links with foreign handlers or was part of a broader domestic network inspired by ISIS ideology. There are indications he may have been working to re-establish recruitment channels and provide logistical support.
This development follows closely after another operation in Uttar Pradesh, where a separate module with alleged links to Pakistan-based handlers was dismantled. In that case, four individuals, including Saqib, were arrested for allegedly planning attacks on critical infrastructure such as railway systems.
Officials said that the group used encrypted platforms like Telegram, Signal, and Instagram to communicate, conducted reconnaissance in cities including Ghaziabad, Aligarh, and Lucknow, and shared sensitive information with handlers abroad. Their plans reportedly included sabotage of railway signalling systems and attacks on vehicles carrying gas cylinders to create panic.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and investigations are ongoing to uncover further links and prevent potential threats.
