In a significant step towards counter-terrorism, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has apprehended four men accused of forming a group called the “Mujahideen Army” with intentions to overthrow the government and impose Sharia law in India.
The suspects have been named as Akmal Raza from Sultanpur, Safeel Salmani, also known as Ali Razvi from Sonbhadra, Mohammad Tausif from Kanpur, and Qasim Ali from Rampur. The ATS claims that this group was significantly influenced by extremist elements from Pakistan, actively spreading radical propaganda and organizing financial resources aimed at carrying out targeted killings of non-Muslim leaders.
During extensive raids conducted by ATS teams, a variety of incriminating materials were confiscated, including weapons, documents, mobile phones, Aadhaar and PAN cards, debit and credit cards, along with digital evidence such as a PhonePe scanner that facilitated financial transactions. According to official statements, the group had been holding secret meetings to propagate jihadi literature and attempting to recruit new members into their ranks.
Interrogations of the detained individuals have unveiled their plans for violent jihad as a form of retaliation against perceived injustices. They had reportedly named several targets for assassination and were disseminating inflammatory audio and video messages designed to incite their followers.
The ATS plans to present all four suspects before a magistrate and is expected to request their custody to conduct further investigations aimed at uncovering broader networks and potential foreign affiliations related to their operations.
This operation highlights the ATS’s commitment to tackling radicalization and dismantling terror financing networks that pose a threat to national stability.
