Four youths, including a polytechnic student, were arrested in Uttarakhand for allegedly planning to execute blasts targeting the Ardh Kumbh Mela and the trains bound for the holy city. The youths, who were described by police as highly radicalised, were allegedly in touch with members of the Islamic State terror group in Syria. They are also believed to be in the process of making an explosive. “The operation was on the basis of intelligence inputs. Akhlak-ur-Rehman, Mohammad Osama alias Adil, Mohammad Asim Shah and Mohammad Meraj alias Monu were arrested from Roorkee and Haridwar on Tuesday night. They have been taken to Delhi,” said Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Arvind Deep. Deep added that they had been booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. “Akhlak is a polytechnic student from a private college in Haridwar. The others are pursuing graduation. They are highly radicalised and were planning to target Haridwar-bound trains, the Ardh Kumbh celebrations and a few locations in Delhi,” he said, adding that they have been remanded in 15-day police custody. Sources said Akhlak was in touch with a former Indian Mujahideen member, who is believed to have escaped from India to Syria, and often talked him through VOIP and other internet links. Akhlak was tasked to motivate other youths for “Jihadi” activities, said sources. Despite claiming that they had busted a terror module, police maintained more suspects were to be arrested. A source said the men were also in touch with a member of Ansar-ut Tawhid fi Bilad al-Hind (AuT), an India-based terror outfit and IS ally.
