Plaything or payload: How Bijnore Police had written off AK-47 as toy, let off ring-leader of Pakistan-backed Lucknow terror module just 4 months ago

A glaring case of negligence has come to light following investigations into the arrest of a four-member terror module run by Pakistani handlers in Lucknow by Uttar Pradesh (UP) Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on April 2. Probe revealed that Bijnore Police had given the accused a clean chit in an earlier instance of suspected terror activities.

The module was busted while planning to strike the Lucknow railway station—the group was plotting to carry out a blast targeting the signal systems and tracks.

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The arrested accused have been identified as Saqib alias ‘Devil’, Vikas Gehlawat alias ‘Raunak’, Lokesh alias ‘Papla Pandit’ alias ‘Babu’ alias ‘Sanju’, and Arbaab.

According to media reports, in November last year, a video call had come to light wherein Meerut-resident Devil and his alleged handler in Dubai, Aquib, were recorded in a conversation with Bijnore-resident Maajul. In the video, reports said, Aquib was seen brandishing an AK-47 assault rifle, the most favoured weapon of terrorists.

An FIR over the matter had been lodged at the Nagal police station in Bijore on November 23, 2025. During the investigation into the video, Bijnore Police had brushed the AK-47 away as a toy gun and had given a clean chit to the accused.

As per latest reports, the Bijnore Police swung into damage control mode after the incident surfaced and has suspended the investigating officer of the case. Also, Circle Officer (CO) Najibabad has been relieved of his position.

The accused have accepted that they used to set fire to abandoned cars and waste dump sites in Delhi-NCR and used to send the pictures to their Pakistani handlers, who then paid them somewhere between Rs15,000 and 20,000. This modus operandi also shows that the entire operation was funded by a well-oiled machinery.

The module remained in touch with its Pakistani handlers and other extremist groups over social media, especially popular platforms such as Telegram, Signal and Instagram.

According to ATS, the group was planning to target railway stations, railway signal boxes, trucks transporting gas cylinders and critical government assets. Probe also revealed that they carried out reconnaissance of important institutions and several political figures across Ghaziabad, Aligarh and Lucknow.

The four had been booked under sections 148, 152, 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 13 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
ATS had recovered incendiary material, seven smartphones, 24 pamphlets and several Aadhar cards.