Ratlam: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at multiple locations in six states to dismantle the ISIS Jharkhand module and apprehended a suspect in Ratlam. The arrested individual, identified as Rahul Sen, also known as Omar or Omar Bahadur, was found in possession of various incriminating materials, including electronic devices such as laptops, pen drives, and mobile phones.
Additionally, a knife, a veil, and several ISIS-related documents were seized. Rahul Sen, aged 23, played an active role in the terror conspiracy, which included disseminating ISIS propaganda through social media platforms for radicalization and recruitment of susceptible youth for various terror-related activities. Several incriminating materials and data, including videos related to ISIS, were also confiscated.
ISIS Jharkhand module
The case was registered by the NIA on July 19, 2023, following the arrest of an ISIS operative named Faizan Ansari. During the investigation, it was discovered that the ISIS Jharkhand module was active in various states, and the suspects had been radicalized through online propaganda and had links with each other. Acting on intelligence inputs, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at nine locations across multiple states, including Mumbai, Maharashtra, Siwan district in Bihar, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, and Maharajganj districts of Uttar Pradesh, Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, Ludhiana in Punjab, South Goa in Goa, and Yadgir in Karnataka. The NIA has obtained leads that are currently under investigation.
NIA investigations revealed that the first arrested accused, Faizan, a 19-year-old student at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), came into contact with radicalized individuals associated with ISIS while staying near the AMU campus. Faizan and his associates, along with other unknown individuals, hatched the conspiracy of the Jharkhand terror module through social media platforms with the intention of aiding and abetting terror activities on behalf of the proscribed terrorist organization ISIS. Their aim was to carry out violent terror attacks in India, recruit youngsters for the banned outfit, and disseminate ISIS propaganda.
The current arrestee, Rahul Sen, also known as Omar or Omar Bahadur, is believed to be one of the recruits. Faizan, an undergraduate student in Economics at AMU, propagated ISIS ideology and recruited vulnerable youngsters to expand the ISIS cadre and footprint in India. He maintained contact with foreign-based ISIS handlers who guided him in spreading ISIS ideology. Faizan also contemplated migrating to a foreign ISIS conflict zone after completing his tasks in India. The investigations in this case are ongoing.
