VIJAYAWADA: In the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack and intelligence alerts, the High Court on Wednesday directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to probe alleged sleeper cell activity across the State and submit a report by Thursday.
Justice N Harinath issued the directives while hearing petitions filed by advocate Surapareddy Gouthami and A Shivakumar of Proddatur. The petitioners alleged inaction of the State Police and Home Department despite central intelligence reports indicating that about 20,000 sleeper cell operatives linked to Pakistan’s ISI are active across India, with around 1,200 suspected in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in Nandyal, Guntur, and Kadapa.
The petitioners cited the Pahalgam terror attack, which left several civilians dead and injured, as a trigger for heightened alerts across states. Petitioner’s counsel Narsi Reddy argued that AP police failed to investigate ISI-linked networks or reassure the public, calling the inaction a serious lapse in internal security management.
In response, the High Court issued notices to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and instructed the DGP to investigate sleeper cell activity based on the evidence provided by the petitioners.
The HC’s intervention comes amid the arrests of Siraj Ur Rehman in Vizianagaram and Sameer in Hyderabad, who were allegedly plotting IED blasts. These developments have further raised concerns about terror network within the State, adding urgency to the court’s directive aimed at protecting national security.