Delhi terror alert: Major strike foiled before Diwali as police nab two ISIS operatives plotting festive blasts
PTC Web Desk: In a major breakthrough just days before Diwali, the Delhi Police Special Cell has foiled a suspected ISIS-inspired terror plot aimed at carrying out multiple blasts in the national capital. Two operatives, both identified as Adnan, were arrested following coordinated operations in Delhi and Bhopal, preventing what authorities described as a “potentially devastating” attack on the festive weekend.
According to senior officials, one of the accused hails from Delhi’s Sadiq Nagar, while the other is a resident of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The police said the duo was allegedly preparing to detonate improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in high-footfall areas such as a popular South Delhi mall and a public park, targeting crowds gathered for Diwali celebrations.
“The arrests have successfully averted a major terror strike in Delhi,” said Pramod Kushwaha, Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), during a press briefing. “The accused had conducted reconnaissance of several crowded spots, including a mall and a park, as part of their attack planning.”
Investigators revealed that the suspects intended to execute the attack during Diwali, selecting crowded venues to inflict maximum casualties. A video of the duo pledging allegiance to ISIS was recovered, along with photographs of potential target sites in Delhi.
The police also seized a makeshift timer device fashioned out of a wristwatch, intended for use as part of an IED mechanism. Other items retrieved included digital evidence and images of markets and shops from where they planned to procure materials required to assemble explosives.
Timeline of the arrests
The first arrest took place on October 16, when the Delhi Police detained the Sadiq Nagar-based suspect. Based on information extracted during his interrogation, the second operative was later apprehended from Bhopal.
Officials disclosed that the Bhopal resident had eariler come under the scanner after allegedly issuing online threats to an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) official over the Gyanvapi mosque survey issue.
The arrests are part of a larger crackdown on an ISIS-inspired module believed to be active across multiple Indian states. Police sources said both men were undergoing indoctrination and training for “fidayeen” (suicide-style) attacks.
Electronic devices, communication records, and other incriminating materials recovered from the suspects point to contact with foreign handlers. Authorities believe the duo was in the final stages of preparing an IED-based terror attack.
The Special Cell is now investigating whether the arrested suspects had any direct or indirect links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) or other transnational terror outfits.
- With inputs from agencies
