In a major counter-terror breakthrough, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested four individuals for allegedly raising a “Mujahideen Army” with the objective of toppling the government and imposing Sharia law in the country.
The arrested have been identified as Akmal Raza (Sultanpur), Safeel Salmani alias Ali Razvi (Sonbhadra), Mohammad Tausif (Kanpur), and Qasim Ali (Rampur). According to the ATS, the group was heavily influenced by radical elements in Pakistan and was spreading extremist propaganda, raising funds, and planning targeted killings of non-Muslim leaders.
During raids, ATS teams seized weapons, incriminating documents, mobile phones, Aadhaar and PAN cards, debit and credit cards, and digital evidence, including a PhonePe scanner used for financial transactions. The statement revealed that the accused were holding clandestine meetings, disseminating jihadi literature, and attempting to recruit others into their network.
Interrogation revealed that the group was plotting violent jihad in retaliation for perceived grievances and had identified several individuals for assassination. The accused were also actively circulating provocative audio and video messages to incite followers.
All four men will be produced before a magistrate, where the ATS will seek their custody for further investigation to uncover wider links and possible foreign connections.
This operation underscores the ATS’s vigilance against radicalisation and terror financing networks attempting to destabilise the country.
