LUCKNOW: The UP Police and the anti-terrorist squad (ATS) arrested a key accused of links with a suspected ISIS-linked module.The accused, identified as Majul, a resident of Sauftpur village under Nangal police station in Bijnor, was detained by airport authorities upon arrival from South Africa and handed over to local police on Apr 18.He had been on a lookout circular (LOC) issued by the ATS along with two other key accused — Aqib and Azad — who are currently believed to be in Saudi Arabia, said ADG (law & order), Amitabh Yash.The case stems from a video that surfaced on social media on Nov 23, 2025, showing youths allegedly displaying firearms during an Instagram Live session. The video, reportedly uploaded from an account operated by Majul, featured Aqib brandishing weapons and delivering provocative content.Following this, an FIR was registered at Nangal police station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Arms Act, and the IT Act against Majul, Aqib, Azad, Owaid Malik and others.Two accused — Owaid Malik and Jalal Haider alias Sameer Jafri — were earlier arrested by Bijnor Police, while another accused, Sameer alias Ruhan, was held on Apr 15 for alleged links with the group through Telegram. Investigators said digital evidence found on his phone indicated involvement in activities considered prejudicial to national security.According to Yash, crucial leads in the case emerged during the interrogation of Owaid Malik. “He revealed that around three years ago, he had travelled to Gujarat in search of work, where he met Jalal Haider. Through him, he came into contact with Majul and another associate based in Saudi Arabia,” Yash said.Police said Malik and Haider allegedly facilitated connections between individuals and Aqib through social media platforms, encouraging them to follow his content and spread his ideology.Sources said the accused were attempting to build a network within India, recruit young individuals, and carry out coordinated actions. Electronic evidence has suggested that after the arrest of some associates in Meerut, Azad advised Malik to flee to Nepal.The developments come close on the heels of a major ATS operation on Apr 3, in which four suspected operatives — Saqib alias ‘Devil’, Arbaab, Vikas Gehlawat alias Raunak, and Lokesh alias Papla Pandit — were arrested for allegedly planning arson attacks on railway infrastructure and conducting reconnaissance of key installations across multiple cities.Police said Majul is currently being interrogated, and further investigation is underway to trace the full extent of the network and apprehend the remaining accused.
