Karnataka police have arrested two individuals for allegedly conspiring with a Pakistan-based operative via Instagram to plan disruptive activities, including a murder and blasts, posing a significant threat to India’s national security.
IMAGE: Kindly note that the image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo
Key Points
- Two men, Alla Bakhsh and Zamir Khan, were arrested in Karnataka for an alleged national security conspiracy.
- The accused reportedly communicated with a Pakistan-based individual, ‘Rana Bai’, via Instagram to plan disruptive activities.
- Allegations include planning a murder in Pune and blasts similar to past incidents in Bengaluru and Coimbatore.
- The Intelligence Bureau (IB) had been monitoring the suspects for approximately a month before their arrests.
- Police and central agencies are continuing their probe to ascertain the extent of the alleged network and any potential links to extremist activities.
Two men have been arrested for allegedly maintaining contact through social media with a Pakistan-based individual and conspiring to carry out activities prejudicial to India’s national security, the police said on Friday.
The arrested accused have been identified as Alla Bakhsh, 23, a resident of Sriramanagar in Tumakuru, and Zamir Khan, 23, a mason from Davanagere, they said.
According to the police, on June 4, based on credible information received, PSI Prasanna Kumar of Kyathsandra Police Station brought in for inquiry a person identified as Maulajan, who was working at a mutton stall in Kadeyapete, Kyathsandra in Tumakuru.
“Upon examining his mobile phone, it was found that through his Instagram account, he had been communicating in Hindi with a Pakistan-based person identified as Rana Bai,” Tumakuru district police said in a statement.
During the examination, it was allegedly discovered that the communication involved efforts to organise Muslim youths with the intention of carrying out disruptive activities in India and disturbing peace, in a manner prejudicial to the national security, unity, and sovereignty of the country.
Based on the findings and a complaint filed in the matter, a case was registered at Tumakuru Town Police Station, police said.
During the investigation, police also identified Zamir Khan of Davanagere as being in contact with the accused, it said.
According to police sources, preliminary investigations suggest that the suspected operative had allegedly instructed the accused to arrange men from Tumakuru and was involved in planning a murder in Pune next month.
The accused were also allegedly given tasks related to carrying out blasts similar to previous incidents reported near the Bharatiya Janata Party office in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, and the Coimbatore blast case, police sources claimed.
They said the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had been monitoring the suspects for nearly a month.
Following verification of the intelligence inputs, the arrests were carried out in coordination with local police.
The police and central agencies are continuing their probe to ascertain the extent of the alleged network and any possible links to extremist activities. Both the accused have been arrested, and further investigation is underway, police added.
