Uttar Pradesh’s Anti-Terrorist Squad Foils Major Terror Plot in Delhi-NCR, Arrests Two Youth Linked to ISI Network

Key Points

On Thursday 23rd April, 2026, Uttar Pradesh’s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) thwarted an alleged upcoming terror plot that supposedly included grenade attack and targeted killings in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The squad has arrested two 20-year-old youth in Noida, who were purportedly colluding with Pakistani-linked gangsters operating under directives by the Pakistani Intelligence agency ISI. 

The two accused were identified as Tushar Chauhan alias Hizbullah Ali Khan, originally from Baghpat who was residing in Meerut, and Sameer Khan from Delhi’s Old Seemapuri region.  

Weapons such as knives, five live cartilages, and a 0.32 bore pistol were also recovered from the accused’s possession. 

Intelligence inputs claim that the Pakistan-based gangsters were looking to destabilize India’s internal security by organizing terror attacks and grooming individuals and inciting them towards violence. 

The ATS has uncovered a broader and darker network of terrorism that operated via social media channels, wherein young Indian men were incentivized and radicalized to carry out terror acts. 

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The two accused were placed under detention and were subjected to prolonged interrogation, wherein accused Tushar Chauhan revealed key details pertaining to the wider framework of the terror activities. He revealed that he had been assigned the task to carry out grenade attacks at specified locations in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, and also targeting certain individuals as identified by his handlers.

The accused was promised a hefty monetary compensation in return, a sum of ₹50,000 as advance payment and an additional ₹2.5 lakhs after the act was deemed successful. The handlers also aided him by providing logistical support for his escape, procuring fake passports for him to emigrate out of the country as well as facilitating his hideout and relocation in Pakistan via Dubai after the mission was carried out. 

Tushar named three additional names in addition to his handlers— ‘Major Hameed,’ ‘Major Iqbal,’ and ‘Major Anwar’— ISI-linked operatives who were expected to assign targets. 

During the interrogation, the other accused, Sameer Khan confessed that his task was to carry out propaganda activities promoting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TETH), which involved painting slogans on walls and influencing other individuals to join the terror outfit. 

Both accused were carrying out reconnaissance of the individuals that were identified by their handlers as potential targets. The attacks were supposed to take place in a high-footfall area in Delhi-NCR. The two individuals were well underway in their plans to carry out the attacks, officials say. 

See also: One Year After Pahalgam Terror Attack, Grief and Loss Still Lingers

Sources pertaining to the ATS maintain that Tushar came in contact with the two Pakistan-based gangsters, Shahzad Bhatti and Abdi Jat, via Instagram. Subjected to gradual radicalization, his communication with the gangsters eventually shifted to encrypted channels, which included video chats and voice calls. In a bid to attain his handler's trust, Tushar even created social media accounts under the name of Shahzad Bhatti. He also received ideological content, operational guidance, and other directions via these channels. 

Based upon the evidence gathered as of now, the police has registered a case at the ATS Police Station in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The charges specifically address criminal conspiracy The charges specifically address unlawful possession of weapons, criminal conspiracy, and acts endangering national sovereignty.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash has stated that the ATS had initiated an investigation, following intelligence inputs regarding the creation of sleeper cells via Instagram and other social media platforms. 

The investigation is expected to proceed further, as the ATS demand for full custody of the two accused to recover more intel about the full scope of the network, identify additional agents and accomplices, and uncover financial and digital tracks of the operation. 

According to officials, this recent case has shed light on the growing influence of Pakistan linked 

Gangsters and terror agencies that continue to target young individuals and incite them to commit crimes against the nation.

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