LUCKNOW: Two suspected agents of Pakistan's intelligence agency – ISI—were nabbed by Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Wednesday.
The suspects were identified as Daniyal Ashraf (23) from Barabanki and Krishna Mishra (20) from Kushinagar district, who are Class VIII dropouts, had reportedly conducted reconnaissance of potential targets in UP, Delhi and Maharashtra, and received payments through multiple bank accounts, investigators said.
Both were allegedly being handled by Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti with the intent to execute attacks across the state, said the ATS sources.
According to a statement issued by UP DGP Headquarters, both suspects were arrested by ATS teams following intelligence inputs about a Pakistan-backed conspiracy to radicalise Indian youths through Instagram and other social media platforms and use them as sleeper cell operatives.
The outfits handling them were turning them into foot soldiers to carry out terror activities, the statement stated, to spread fear among people and threaten the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the country.
As per the ATS officers, the recruitment and radicalisation process was being coordinated by Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti along with associates Abid Jatt and Hammad, who allegedly maintained contact with the duo through social media platforms and encrypted calls.
Investigators claimed that videos, photographs, and location details of certain police stations and sensitive sites were shared by the suspects with their Pakistan-based handlers.
According to the ATS, digital evidence found on the mobile phones of the suspects included video call recordings, WhatsApp group conversations, voice notes, reconnaissance videos, and chats with foreign numbers allegedly linked to Pakistani operatives.
Officials said investigators also found evidence suggesting that the accused received money through different bank accounts and digital channels, allegedly to support operational activities and maintain communication with handlers.
As per an ATS source, while Daniyal Ashraf had sought firearms and funds from the handlers for carrying out attacks, Krishna Mishra’s phone reportedly contained videos discussing the shooting of personnel in uniform and surveillance footage of potential targets.
Police said firearms, live cartridges, and mobile phones were also recovered from the possession of the two suspects.
Officials said both accused were produced before the court, and an investigation was underway to identify additional operatives and unravel the wider terror network operating through social media platforms.
ATS officials claimed that those intelligence inputs pointed to the hand of alleged ‘ISI proxy’ Bhatti and his terrorist network.
After electronic and physical surveillance, the ATS team arrested Krishna on Tuesday and Daniyal on Wednesday.
On checking Krishna’s WhatsApp, a group call was found involving Daniyal, Jatt, and other suspicious Indian/foreign mobile numbers, where anti-national discussions took place, the agency claimed.
It further claimed that on the instructions of the Pakistani gangsters, Daniyal made a video of a police station in another state and shared its video and location.
He also allegedly shared locations of other important institutions and asked for money and weapons from the gangsters to carry out terror acts.
A recce video was also found in which Krishna and his two associates were assigned the task of shooting at a person in uniform. During their interrogation, officials said Daniyal and Krishna reportedly told them that they came in contact with the three gangsters on Instagram.
Bhatti told them that if they followed his instructions, he would make them “heroes” in India.
