An FIR has been registered at the ATS Police Station, Lucknow, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The accused had also conducted reconnaissance missions at various locations across cities such as Ghaziabad, Aligarh, and Lucknow.
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) have arrested four individuals linked to a Pakistan-based terror network, successfully thwarting a major conspiracy targeting national institutions, railway assets, and political figures.
The accused, identified as Saqib alias ‘Devil’ (25) from Agwanpur village, Meerut, along with Arbab (20) of Meerut, Vikas Pehlawat alias ‘Raunak’ (27) of Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Lokesh alias ‘Papla Pandit’ (19), were apprehended near Lucknow Railway Station before executing their plan to damage railway signals and other infrastructure.
Intelligence revealed that the gang, operating through social media platforms such as Telegram, Instagram, and Signal, was in contact with handlers in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The accused conducted reconnaissance of sensitive locations, transmitted information to their handlers, and planned acts of arson and explosions to create fear and economic damage.
Authorities recovered a canister with inflammable material, seven smartphones, 24 pamphlets, and Aadhaar cards from the accused. An FIR has been registered at the ATS Police Station, Lucknow, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The ATS confirmed that the gang had previously carried out minor arson incidents and received payments from Pakistani handlers for these acts. The arrested individuals have been produced before a court, and further legal proceedings are underway.
This decisive action has prevented a potential large-scale terror attack and exposed a criminal network involved in anti-national activities in Uttar Pradesh.
Driven by financial greed, these accused individuals conducted reconnaissance of strategic locations across various cities in the country and transmitted the details and video footage to their Pakistani handlers.
The accused had also conducted reconnaissance missions at various locations across cities such as Ghaziabad, Aligarh, and Lucknow. Shockingly, the accused had already carried out minor acts of arson at certain locations, filming videos of these incidents to send back to Pakistan.
In exchange for these acts, they received payments via QR codes. The Pakistani handlers designated targets by sending Google location coordinates and incited the individuals to engage in violent activities by stoking religious frenzy.
On April 2, 2026, the accused had planned to damage railway signals and other infrastructure near the Lucknow Railway Station. However, the ATS team arrived at the scene and successfully apprehended all four accused individuals. Authorities recovered a canister filled with inflammable material, seven smartphones, 24 pamphlets, and Aadhaar cards from their possession.
The arrested individuals have been produced before a court, and further legal proceedings are underway. This swift action by the ATS has successfully foiled a major terror plot, thereby averting potential large-scale damage within the state and exposing a criminal gang involved in anti-national activities.
April 04, 2026, 14:13 IST
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