By Muslim Mirror Staff

Indian authorities have claimed that they have arrested three individuals in a crackdown on the ISIS network in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. These suspects, all educated as engineers, are believed to possess expertise in bomb-making, according to a statement by HGS Dhaliwal, a senior officer in the Delhi Police Special Cell.

Among the apprehended individuals is Mohammad Shahnawaz, who was on the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) most wanted list. The NIA had previously announced a cash reward of ₹3 lakh for information leading to Shahnawaz’s capture, along with two others, all of whom allegedly played pivotal roles in blasts across the country.

The two accomplices of Shahnawaz, Mohammed Rizwan Ashraf and Mohammed Arshad Warsi, were also taken into custody. Shahnawaz was arrested in Delhi’s Jaitpur, while Rizwan and Ashraf were apprehended in Lucknow and Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, respectively.

Authorities reported the discovery of a pistol, materials used in bomb production, chemicals, and extremist literature from Pakistan in Shahnawaz’s hideout in Delhi.

Dhaliwal stated that the three suspects had conducted survey in various parts of the country and had tested explosive devices.

According to the authorities, these individuals maintained contact with their ISIS handlers, sharing regular reports on their activities. They were instructed to procure all necessary materials locally to minimize the exposure of external involvement in their work.

Shahnawaz, originally from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand and educated as a mining engineer, possessed knowledge of engineering explosives. His wife, who had converted to Islam before their marriage, is currently on the run.

Mohammed Arshad Warsi, also from Jharkhand, held a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Aligarh University and was pursuing a doctorate at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi.

Mohammed Rizwan Ashraf, an engineer in computer science, hailed from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and had also received clerical training.

“Their aim was to target well-know people and inflict maximum casualties,” Dhaliwal claimed.

Authorities have said that they have also traced the funding trail behind these activities.