A 19-year-old man from Up, suspected of planning an attack on the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, was arrested in Faridabad on Sunday. The arrest followed a joint operation by Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Haryana’s Special Task Force (STF) after the police received intelligence about an ISI-backed plot. The suspect, Abdul Rehman Abu Bakar, had been living under the alias “Shankar” in Faridabad, where he was working part-time as an autorickshaw driver and at a local eatery.
Rehman, originally from Milkipur near Faizabad, close to Ayodhya, was allegedly tasked with conducting reconnaissance on sensitive sites, including the Ram Temple and government offices in Uttar Pradesh. The investigation led to the discovery of two hand grenades, which were reportedly provided by ISI handlers through a network linked to the Islamic State of Khorasan (ISIS-K). A bomb disposal team safely defused the explosives in Faridabad, ATS sources confirmed.
During the raid, authorities recovered a pen drive containing critical evidence, including attack blueprints, potential targets, and instructions from the suspects’ handlers. Investigators believe the attack was imminent.
Following the arrest, top officials from ATS were called to Delhi for a high-level security briefing. Central intelligence agencies have joined forces with state police to dismantle any sleeper cells associated with the plot. Authorities are focusing on uncovering local contacts, sleeper cells, and logistics operations linked to the suspects. More arrests are expected, sources indicate.
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