- Gujarat ATS uncovered a Jaish-e-Mohammed sleeper cell planning terror activities in the state
- Eight arrests made after coordinated raids across multiple districts and madrasas
- The cell used Rs 3 lakh in funding to buy an unregistered car for covert operations
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad has unearthed a module of Jaish-e-Mohammed, which had been actively planning to promote and spread the terror group's ideology in the state.
The module was working as sleeper cells under the leadership and conspiracy of the group and was planning terrorist activities.
They were contacting people in India through various media to radicalise them and establish an active network on behalf of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Gujarat, the authorities said.
The background of the case involves a highly coordinated crackdown where the Gujarat ATS arrested 8 people after receiving confidential information.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Harsh Upadhyay initially received the tip-off regarding individuals operating on behalf of the banned outfit. Under the guidance of Superintendent of Police K. Siddharth and the leadership of DySP Upadhyay, a tracking team consisting of Police Wireless Inspectors D.V. Rathod, K.P. Goleter, M.N. Shah, M.P. Jhala, and Police Sub-Inspectors Manish Patel and D.V. Rabari verified the suspects' direct links to the terror group through technical and human intelligence.
What is completely new in this case is how this localised cell, operating under the name Darul Islam Gujarat Jaish-e-Mohammed, managed its logistics and preparation while waiting to execute its plans. The module received an operational funding pool of approximately Rs 3 lakhs for its activities.
To establish mobile capabilities without raising suspicion among law enforcement agencies, they used this money to purchase an old car, which they intentionally kept untransferred under any of their official names.
The network positioned its members across several regional hubs, heavily utilising local madrasas to run their operations and extend dawat, or invitations, to join the terror group. The joint raids, conducted alongside local police from Banaskantha, Navsari, Patan, and Dewas in Madhya Pradesh, led to the arrest of three individuals directly from the Jamia Abul Hasan Madrasa in Khadiyasana, Siddhpur.
Another operative was apprehended from the Jamia Rahmaniya Madrasa in Ambheta, Chikhli, highlighting how educational settings were leveraged to build the clandestine network.
The Nord Locker Application
The eight arrested accused have been identified as Ahmad Abdullah Gajivala, Ibrahim Mohammad Husain Ghagha, Mudassir Abdullah Gajivala, Zakariya Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha, Mufti Faujan Ismail Dauva, Mohammad Amin Shera, Mohammad Abdul Rehman Savdi, and Bilal Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha.
Following the raids, the ATS recovered 254 pieces of digital propaganda from an application called Nord Locker on Ibrahim Ghagha's phone, alongside physical books printed in Pakistan and handwritten letters addressed to Masood Azhar.
Cases have been registered under Sections 13, 17, 18, 38, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Sections 61 and 148 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
