RANCHI: In a major achievement, a special cell of Delhi Police in association with Jharkhand ATS, has arrested a suspected Al Qaeda terrorist Shahbaz Ansari from Chanho in Ranchi. Jharkhand ATS SP Rishabh Jha has confirmed the arrest of Shahbaz Ansari, he is an accused in case number 301/24 of Delhi Police Special Cell.
Last year, Delhi Police, with the help of central agencies of the Government of India and police of different states, took major action in Jharkhand, Delhi and Rajasthan for declaring ‘Khilafat’ (opposition) in India and plotting a serious terrorist conspiracy. The Jharkhand Police ATS arrested eight suspects linked to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, six others undergoing training in Rajasthan were also apprehended. Most of the suspects are residents of Jharkhand.
Shahbaz Ansari was absconding in this case. Jharkhand ATS and Delhi Special Cell received a tip-off that Shahbaz Ansari had come to his village Chitari, located on the Ranchi-Lohardaga border. Acting on this information, Shahbaz was arrested.
Notably, Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed working in a private hospital in Ranchi was identified as the mastermind of the suspected terrorists arrested last year. During that time, Delhi Police had arrested a suspect in Delhi.
Based on the facts revealed in the investigation on August 23, 2024, the Special cell of the Delhi police, in coordination with its counterparts in Jharkhand, arrested Faizan Ahmed from Hazaribagh. Then, on the basis of inputs received from Delhi Police, the ATS team raided Al Hasan Residency located at Bariatu Joda Talab in Ranchi and arrested Ishtiaq Ahmed.
In August 2024, the ATS team also raided Henjala Kauwakhap village of Kudu in Lohardaga searching for Altaf alias Iltaf, but he was not found at home. During the raids, two weapons and many objectionable documents were recovered from his house. During this, Shahbaz's house was also raided but he was found absconding.
As of now, a total of 9 suspected terrorists have been arrested from Jharkhand. The list of their names include, MD Modabbir, MD Rizwan, Mufti Rahmatullah Majhiri, Matiur Rahman, Enamul Ansari and Shahbaz, all from Chanho in Ranchi, Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed from Bariatu in Ranchi, Faizaan Ahmed from Hazaribagh and Iltaf Ansari from Lohardaga.