NIA Conducts Nationwide Searches in Terror Radicalisation Case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday carried out coordinated searches across 20 locations in 10 states as part of an investigation into an online terror radicalisation conspiracy. The plot aimed to establish an Islamic state in India through violent jihad against the democratically elected government, promoting the ideology of ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), according to an NIA statement.
States and Locations Searched
The searches were conducted simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi. The locations were selected based on detailed technical analysis of digital devices seized earlier, along with connectivity analysis of the arrested accused and other investigation findings, the agency said.
Seizures and Arrests
Wednesday's operation led to the seizure of several digital devices, which will undergo forensic examination to uncover further clues about the radicalisation network. So far, 11 accused and one juvenile have been arrested in the case, which the NIA took over from the Vijayawada police in May 2026. The Vijayawada police had originally registered the case in March following a search at the residence of key accused Rehmatullah Sharif Mohammad, which resulted in the recovery of incriminating materials related to AQIS and ISIS.
Modus Operandi and Foreign Links
The NIA has found that the arrested accused and their aides were engaged in indoctrinating vulnerable youth across the country through violent jihadi content and misinformation. They were also in online contact with their foreign handlers to propagate jihadi ideology and promote the anti-India conspiracy. The agency is working to identify others involved in the plot to destabilise the country and establish a 'Caliphate'.
