NIA raids 16 locations across Delhi, UP, ISIS-like network unearthed, 10 suspects arrested

The National Investigation Agency is conducting raids across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in connection with a new ISIS-like module. The fairly-new group has been identified as 'Harkat ul Harb e Islam’. According to latest reports, UP Anti Terror Squad is also part of the joint operation. The probe agencies have searched as many as 16 location across in the National Capital and the neighbouring Western UP. UP ATS has now confirmed about the raids and said that 10 people have been arrested. Reports also say that one of the suspect was arrested from Hapur. The man, whose identity has not been revealed yet, belongs to Simbhaoli in UP. Searches have been conducted in Delhi’s Seelampur, Zafarabad and adjoining Ghaziabad, Hapur and Amroha. 

Last year, the NIA had arrested more than 100 ISIS sympathisers across the country. Maximum people were arrested from Uttar Pradesh.

This year, till march, the NIA had registered 19 cases in connection with the ISIS-styled activities.

The central probe agency had filed chargesheets in eleven of these cases, Minister of State for Home Hansraj G Ahir had told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

"The NIA has registered 19 cases related to ISIS/IS and out of these, charge sheets have been filed in 11 cases.

"Two of these cases relate to missing of 22 persons from Kerala and their subsequent travel to ISIS controlled territory in Afghanistan," he had said. Ahir had also said that the central and state agencies are "monitoring the cyber space which is being used to radicalise and recruit persons by ISIS and the law enforcement agencies take action as per law."

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has maintained that India has the largest Muslim population in the world but ISIS had been unable to establish itself in the country.

Meanwhile, on other hand there has been 25 per cent reduction in Maoist attacks in 2014-17 as compared to 2011-14 (UPA tenure).