The Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of Madhya Pradesh police has recently arrested a 34-year-old motor mechanic allegedly radicalized by the Indian Mujahideen and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ideology, a police official stated.
Faizan Sheikh was apprehended in the Kanjar Mohalla-Saluja Colony area of Khandwa town, a communally sensitive region in southwestern Madhya Pradesh.
Inspector General Ashish of ATS informed reporters that the preliminary investigation revealed Sheikh intended to execute lone wolf attacks on security personnel. “He was desperate to get enough firepower to execute the lone wolf attacks on security personnel to establish himself as a big name,” the IG added.
According to police sources, Sheikh had been under ATS surveillance for a long time due to his regular contact with members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Other individuals are also being questioned in connection with this case.
The ATS recovered four cellphones, one pistol, live cartridges, literature, and videos of various terror outfits, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), ISIS, and IM. Sheikh has been booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Notably, five of the eight alleged SIMI members killed by Madhya Pradesh police in an encounter following a jailbreak on October 31, 2016, were from Khandwa.
Praising the ATS, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said his government has contacted central agencies to share details of the arrest and Sheikh’s international network. “We will not tolerate such activity in Madhya Pradesh. We have arrested a dreaded terrorist and have come to know about his secret plans. Due to police action, the backbone of this network will definitely break,” he told reporters.
The Chief Minister added that timely action had averted a major terror plot and that the state government had informed the Intelligence Bureau (IB) about the arrest.
