Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has foiled a major conspiracy to sabotage railway signal boxes and infrastructure at Charbagh Railway Station in Lucknow, Indian Railways said on Saturday.
According to the Railways, the UP ATS has arrested four accused, who were operating under the directions of a Pakistan-based handler via social media and encrypted apps.
Flammable substances and electronic equipment have been recovered from their possession.
“Indian Railways commends the U.P ATS for their swift action and assures the public that passenger safety remains our highest priority. Security at all stations has been further strengthened,” the Indian Railways said in a statement.
Amitabh Yash, ADG Law & Order said that the UP ATS received intelligence inputs about a gang that was in constant contact with Pakistani handlers and were received that a gang was conducting anti-national activities.
Based on the intelligence, the ATS launched an operation and arrested the accused. Yash said that the main member of the gang, Saqib alias Devil, son of Shakeel Ahmed, a resident of Meerut, was introduced to a Pakistani handler on Instagram by another Meerut resident, Aaqib.
“Several videos of Aaqib with an AK-47 are available on social media platforms, and investigations are underway,” the ADG Law & Order said.
According to the preliminary information, Aaqib is currently living in Dubai. He is allegedly connected with Pakistani handlers, various radical groups, and several numbers in Afghanistan.
“This gang was involved in destroying railway signal boxes, setting fire to trucks carrying gas cylinders, and conducting reconnaissance of political figures,” the official said.
The accused allegedly carried out arson incidents at various locations, videos of which were sent to Pakistani handlers and used QR codes to solicit money, he said.
“The Pakistani handler used names like Osama bin Laden, Farooq Ullah Ghori, Kashmir Mujahideen, and Ghazwa-e-Hind to incite people on religious grounds and incite them to set vehicles on fire. Arbaab, a resident of Saqib’s village, was also involved in this conspiracy. Saqib and Arbaab connected Vikas Gehlawat and Lokesh Pandit, residents of Gautam Buddha Nagar, through social media,” ADG Amitabh said.
He further stated that the gang conducted reconnaissance of prominent institutions, vehicles, and railway signal boxes in Ghaziabad, Aligarh, and Lucknow, and sent videos to various Pakistani handlers.
“On April 2nd, the main member of the gang, Saqib, alias Devil, hatched a plan to damage railway signals and other railway property near the Lucknow railway station by arson and explosions. The ATS team arrested the gang members before they could be executed. Seven smartphones containing crucial evidence were recovered from the arrested accused. The arrested accused were produced before the court and five days’ police custody remand was obtained from April 5,” he added.