Arrested ISIS India Head Haris Farooqi Plotted Bomb Blasts In UP, Uttarakhand To Incite Communal Tension

NEW DELHI: Haris Farooqui, the alleged head of ISIS in India who was arrested recently by the Special Task Force in Assam, purportedly orchestrated plans to carry out bomb blasts in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand with the sinister aim of instigating communal discord. The Assam Police sources have made shocking revelations after chilling details emerged from Harish Farooqui's interrogation following his arrest on Wednesday. Assisted by his associates Shahnavaz from Jharkhand and Professor Wajiduddin from Aligarh, Farooqui allegedly devised a nefarious scheme to sow seeds of division and chaos by orchestrating acts of terrorism in these northern Indian states.

According to sources familiar with the investigation, Farooqui, in collaboration with his accomplices, meticulously planned to execute bomb blasts in populous areas of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, strategically targeting places likely to incite communal tensions.

Moreover, chilling details have emerged suggesting that Farooqui had conducted a trial of an improvised explosive device (IED) at the Haldwani railway station, indicating a sinister agenda aimed at causing widespread fear and panic among the public.

Haris Farooqui, Aide Nabbed In Assam

The Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police recently apprehended Haris Farooqui and his close associate from Assam's Dhubri district.  Haris Farooqi alias Harish Ajmal Farukhi, believed to be the head of ISIS in India, and his associate Anurag Singh alias Rehan, were captured in a meticulously executed operation led by the STF team under the guidance of Parthasarathi Mahanta, IGP (STF), and Kalyan Kumar Pathak, Additional Superintendent of Police (STF).

Speaking at a press conference held at the Assam Police headquarters in Guwahati, IGP Mahanta disclosed, "Fifteen days ago, we received intelligence from the central agency regarding potential movements of ISIS leaders in certain areas of the Dhubri Sector. Acting upon this credible information, a special task force was immediately mobilized to take action."

He further elaborated, "Our personnel were deployed to key areas of suspected movement, and through focused efforts, we were able to narrow down our focus by the 18th. By the 19th, we received specific intelligence regarding their likely movement."

Providing insights into the operation, IGP Mahanta revealed, "Consequently, I led an STF team, accompanied by an additional SP, to the Dharmasala area in Dhubri. On the morning of the 18th, we encountered two individuals who appeared to be seeking transportation. Utilizing photographs of top-level ISIS leaders, we identified a match with these two suspects."

Additionally, Mahanta disclosed that information from sister agencies indicated the presence of two high-ranking ISIS leaders in a neighbouring country, planning to infiltrate India via the Dhubri Sector for sabotage activities.

"Based on this intelligence, an STF team was deployed to locate and apprehend the suspects, who were also wanted by the NIA (National Investigation Agency). The operation culminated in the successful apprehension of the accused individuals in the Dharmasala area of Dhubri in the early hours of March 20," Mahanta stated.

Further investigations confirmed the identities of the arrested individuals, with Haris Farooqi identified as the head of ISIS in India and Anurag Singh as his associate. Both individuals are alleged to be highly indoctrinated leaders of ISIS in India, involved in recruitment, terror funding, and the planning of terror acts using IEDs across multiple locations in the country.

The STF, Assam, said that it will collaborate with the NIA to proceed with legal actions against these fugitives, as multiple cases against them are pending in various courts, including the NIA, Delhi, ATS, Lucknow, among others.