Navsari/Ahmedabad, Jan 27: The Gujarat Anti‑Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a youth from Navsari on suspicion of planning targeted killings aimed at “spreading terror and fear”. The accused, identified as Faizan Shaikh, a resident of Charpul in Navsari district, was taken into custody on January 25.
Officials said preliminary investigations indicate that Shaikh, originally from Dundawala, Narpat Nagar in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh, had been radicalised by the extremist ideologies of the banned organisations Jaish‑e‑Mohammed and Al‑Qaeda.
Officials further said Shaikh had been in contact with radical elements through online platforms and other channels. Following his alleged radicalisation, he reportedly procured illegal weapons and ammunition to carry out attacks against selected individuals.
ATS officers recovered the weapons and explosive materials from his possession at the time of arrest. “Initial investigation suggests that the accused had been preparing to execute targeted killings to instil fear and terror within the community,” an ATS officer said.
Authorities added that intensive interrogations are underway to determine whether Shaikh had any accomplices, and to trace the financial and logistical networks that may have supported him. In the wake of the arrest, security agencies have heightened surveillance across Navsari and the broader South Gujarat region as a precautionary measure.
Officials are examining all possible links and sources of the arms and ammunition, while maintaining close coordination with other intelligence units. This case comes nearly two months after a separate operation in which the ATS arrested three individuals allegedly planning attacks in different parts of the country.
In November, Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed, a resident of Hyderabad, along with two men from Uttar Pradesh, Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail Mohammad Saleem, were taken into custody.
Authorities said the trio had been radicalised by handlers from the banned Islamic State Khorasan Province, and several weapons and ammunition were recovered from their possession.
Saiyed had studied medicine in China and was reportedly involved in planning attacks at multiple locations. The ATS has also made further arrests in Gujarat targeting suspected terror-related activities, underlining the continued vigilance of security agencies in the state.
IANS
