Indian intelligence agencies recently disrupted a significant terror plot in the national capital by apprehending two individuals allegedly associated with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). One of the suspects, Ansarul Miya Ansari, is identified as a Pakistani asset who purportedly entered India through Nepal with intentions to gather classified military information for an impending terrorist attack.
The operation commenced in January 2025, following intelligence that indicated a foreign agent was set to breach Indian territory via the porous Indo-Nepal border. Ansari was arrested in central Delhi on February 15, found in possession of sensitive military documents. Authorities suspect he was in the process of leaving India using the same route he entered. This led to an immediate registration of a case under the Official Secrets Act.
Akhlaque Azam, a Ranchi resident and alleged accomplice of Ansari, was arrested in March for providing logistical support to the ISI agent. Forensic examinations of their mobile devices uncovered incriminating communications with handlers based in Pakistan, suggesting the existence of a larger espionage network that is currently under scrutiny.
Intelligence gathered by Ansari reportedly included photographs, documents, and geolocation data of Indian military installations, all intended to assist in planning an ISI-backed terrorist strike in Delhi. Despite the operation being in its nascent stages, officials believe the intelligence was critical for both planning and execution of the attack.
Interrogation records and court documents reveal that Ansari, who originally hails from Nepal, had been working as a taxi driver in Qatar since 2008. He was allegedly recruited and radicalized by ISI operatives during a month-long visit to Pakistan in June 2024. During this visit, he was introduced to high-ranking Pakistani Army officers and indoctrinated on various contentious issues, including the Babri Masjid demolition and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) along with the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Investigators are also looking into the possible involvement of ISI officers Muzammil and Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, who have ties to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Intelligence sources indicate these individuals were attempting to influence Indian YouTubers and social media figures as part of a broader disinformation and recruitment strategy.
These arrests underscore the ongoing threat of cross-border espionage and terror networks. In response, security agencies have heightened surveillance along international borders and are intensifying efforts to dismantle sleeper cells within India. Authorities reaffirm their dedication to safeguarding national security and preempting any foreign-backed attempts to destabilize the country.
