Pak-backed terror plot foiled, 1 arrested with IED, pistol

In a major intelligence-led operation, the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) has busted another Pakistan-backed terror module and foiled a planned terror attack with the arrest of one accused and recovery of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and a foreign-made pistol, stated Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Wednesday.

The arrested accused has been identified as Shubham Kumar, alias Shubham Srivastav, a resident of Sarosa village in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh.

As per the DGP, the IED, packed in a metallic case and fitted with a remote control, was intended for targeted attacks in multiple states, including Punjab and Delhi. The police have also recovered a foreign-made pistol along with ammunition from his possession.

The development comes a day after Punjab Police busted another Pakistan’s ISI-backed terror module with the arrest of Rahul Kumar, alias Gaju, of Amritsar and recovery of an RDX-based IED.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigations have revealed that the arrested accused was in contact with a Pakistan-based handler through encrypted communication platforms. The terror consignment was allegedly pushed from across the border and retrieved from a designated location on the outskirts of Amritsar, he said.

“The IED was meant for carrying out targeted attacks in multiple states. Further investigations are underway to dismantle the entire terror network and identify all those involved,” said the DGP.

Sharing operational details, AIG, SSOC, Amritsar, Sukhminder Singh Mann said police teams had received specific intelligence inputs about a drone-dropped consignment containing explosives and weapons sent by Pakistan-based operatives. Acting swiftly, special teams were formed, leading to the arrest of the accused near an abandoned area close to Dargarh on the Amritsar-Jalandhar GT Road, he added.

The AIG added that the accused is believed to be highly radicalised and had come from Uttar Pradesh to Amritsar after being promised a lucrative amount by his handler.

An FIR in this regard has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act and the Indian Arms Act at the SSOC police station here.