The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (UPATS) has arrested two persons for their involvement in anti-national activities and their collaboration with ISI-backed Pakistani gangsters in planning attacks against India, UPATS said in a press release.
The accused have been identified as Tushar Chauhan alias Hezbollah Ali Khan (20), a resident of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and Sameer Khan (20), a resident of Old Seemapuri in Delhi.
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A case under Sections 148, 152 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023 has been registered against the accused vide Case No. 03/2026 at Lucknow ATS Police Station; Sections 3, 4 and 25 of the Arms Act, 1959; and Sections 13 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, the press release said.
The accused have been produced before the competent court and further court proceedings are underway.
Various terrorist organizations and criminal gangs, operating in collaboration with Pakistani gangsters who, at the behest of the ISI, are trying to threaten India’s internal security, have used platforms like Instagram and other social media channels to radicalize young Indians, induct them into “sleeper cells” and incite them to commit acts of terrorism.
While developing this intelligence, the ATS team uncovered concrete facts which revealed that Pakistani gangsters, acting on the instructions of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, namely Shahzad Bhatti and Abid Jatt, along with radical Pakistani YouTubers, were hatching a conspiracy to disrupt the internal peace and harmony of the Indian community.
Their strategy involved targeting young Indian men through various social media platforms, radicalizing them and luring them with promises of financial gain. These individuals incited the Indian youth to scout sensitive places and act on their instructions to carry out terrorist attacks and also to kill some “ex-Muslims” and other individuals using sophisticated weapons.
Tushar Chauhan alias Hizballah Ali Khan and Sameer Khan under the influence of this nefarious conspiracy established direct contact with Shahzad Bhatti, Abid Jatt and others and actively planned to carry out a major act of sabotage or destruction.
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After confirming the facts derived from this intelligence, the ATS team arrested Tushar alias Hezbollah and Sameer Khan in Noida on Thursday, the press release added.
A pistol with five live rounds and also a knife were recovered from the arrested accused.
During preliminary questioning, Tushar revealed that after being influenced by social media content and the influence of certain individuals, his inclination towards the Islamic faith grew stronger, leading him to strictly follow Islamic traditions and practices.
He associated with Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti and to impress Shahzad Bhatti and establish a connection with him, Tushar created an Instagram account under the name “Shahzad Bhatti”. When Instagram blocked this account, he created a second ID in the name of Shahzad Bhatti; through this new account he got Shahzad Bhatti’s mobile number and started communicating with him through voice calls and video calls.
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He revealed that Bhatti ordered him to throw grenades at the houses of specific targets and assassinate those individuals. The weapons were to be supplied by Bhatti and his associates. Bhatti further instructed him to coordinate with his associate Abid Jatt regarding future contacts and assignment of targets.
Bhatti enticed him with an offer ₹50,000 in cash as a deposit before starting the task and more thereafter ₹2,50,000 in cash upon its completion; he also promised to facilitate the issuance of a passport for Tushar and ensure his passage to Pakistan via Dubai.
Bhatti further informed him that ISI agents Major Hamid, Major Iqbal and Major Anwar would also be assigned targets to him. Through these agents certain funds and pistols were delivered to him, things which had since been recovered from his possession.
During interrogation, it also came to light that accused Sameer Khan had connected with Bhatti through social media and communicated with him through encrypted channels.
Bhatti assigned Sameer the task of spray-painting “TTH” (Tehrik-e-Taliban Hindustan) on the walls and recruiting more individuals into their ranks.
Tushar got in touch with Sameer through Instagram.
Subsequently, on the instructions of these Pakistani gangsters, the duo was ready to carry out criminal acts after conducting reconnaissance on the targets they identified.
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Several people were also threatened with death. In some cases, Pakistani handlers participated in these threats via conference calls.
Preliminary interrogation of the two accused along with material recovered from their mobile phones confirmed their involvement in anti-national activities and their collaboration with ISI-backed Pakistani gangsters in planning attacks against India.
In order to obtain more information about their accomplices and other persons connected with this network, a request to take them into police custody will be submitted to the competent court.
