Major Terror Plot Foiled in Gujarat
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has successfully thwarted a major terrorist conspiracy, arresting three individuals including a medical doctor who were planning to carry out attacks using weapons and chemical agents. The dramatic operation unfolded on Sunday when officials revealed the sophisticated nature of the planned attacks.
International Terror Connections Uncovered
According to Sunil Joshi, DIG of the Gujarat ATS, the accused include one person from Telangana and two from Uttar Pradesh. The trio had traveled to Gujarat specifically to exchange arms and had conspired to execute terrorist acts using ricin, a highly potent poison derived from castor beans.
During interrogation, the suspects revealed a chilling detail about their operation methodology. Their handler based in Pakistan was sending weapons consignments via drones across the border, indicating sophisticated cross-border terror support.
Doctor's Radicalization and Deadly Plans
The ATS team, acting on crucial intelligence, first arrested Dr. Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed, a Hyderabad resident, on November 7th near Adalaj in Gandhinagar. The arrest proved significant as authorities recovered two Glock pistols, a Beretta pistol, 30 live cartridges, and four litres of castor oil from his possession.
Joshi described Saiyed as highly educated but dangerously radicalized. The medical professional, who earned his MBBS degree in China, had been actively preparing ricin poison for terrorist purposes. He had already begun necessary research, procured equipment and raw materials, and initiated preliminary chemical processing to create the lethal substance.
Weapons Supply Network Exposed
Following leads from Saiyed's mobile phone, the ATS apprehended two additional suspects: Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail Mohammad Saleem, both residents of Uttar Pradesh. The arrests occurred in Banaskantha district, where the duo was found to have sourced weapons from Hanumangadh in Rajasthan before delivering them to Saiyed.
The investigation revealed that the accused had conducted reconnaissance of several sensitive locations in Lucknow, Delhi, and Ahmedabad, indicating the widespread nature of their planned operations.
Legal Actions and Ongoing Investigation
All three suspects have been charged under multiple stringent laws including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, and the Arms Act. Saiyed has been remanded in ATS custody until November 17, while the other two accused were produced before a magistrates' court on Sunday.
The terror module has connections to ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province) through handler Abu Khadija, an Afghanistan resident who maintains numerous contacts in Pakistan. The ATS is currently investigating potential links to other ISKP operatives across India, with the probe extending to multiple states.
This successful operation represents a significant victory for Indian security forces in preventing what could have been a devastating terrorist attack using both conventional weapons and chemical agents.
