Sheikh was arrested following raids in Kanjar Mohalla-Saluja Colony, located in the communally-sensitive Khandwa town
The Madhya Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested a man on Thursday who was allegedly planning a “lone-wolf” attack on security forces. The suspect, 34-year-old mechanic Faizan Sheikh, had conducted a reconnaissance mission and was influenced by the ideologies of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) and the Islamic State (IS), officials said.
Sheikh was arrested following raids in Kanjar Mohalla-Saluja Colony, located in the communally-sensitive Khandwa town. Inspector General of MP Police Ashish told reporters that initial investigations revealed Sheikh’s intention to make a name for himself by carrying out a “lone-wolf” attack on security personnel.
According to police sources, Sheikh had been on the ATS radar for a long time due to his regular contact with members of the banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). During the raid, four mobile phones, a pistol, live cartridges, and literature and videos related to terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, IM, and IS were recovered from him. Sheikh has been booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Act, IG Ashish said.
The ATS is also questioning others associated with Sheikh in Khandwa, police added.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav praised the police for Sheikh’s arrest and mentioned that the state government has contacted central agencies to share details about the suspect’s network. “We will not tolerate any such activity in Madhya Pradesh… we were able to arrest a dreaded terrorist and have also come to know of his secret plans. I am sure the police action will break the backbone of their network,” Yadav told reporters in Chhindwara.
“We took timely action against him and thus foiled a major terror plan,” he added. The state government has also informed the Intelligence Bureau about Sheikh’s arrest, and the central agency will further investigate the matter, Yadav said.
