The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has busted a gang allegedly operating under the direction of a Pakistani handler, foiling a blast plot targeting Lucknow railway station. The group is accused of carrying out a series of arson attacks targeting prominent institutions, vehicles and railway signal boxes to spread fear, news agency PTI reported.
According to the ATS, the main accused, identified as Saqib alias “Devil,” was apprehended during the operation. Three others, identified as Vikas Gehlawat alias Raunak (27), Lokesh alias Papla Pandit alias Babu alias Sanju (19), both residents of Gautam Buddh Nagar, and Arbaab (20) from Meerut, were arrested.
Investigators said the gang maintained links with Pakistani handlers, radical elements, and several contacts based in Afghanistan.
The primary objective of the group was to create an atmosphere of terror in India. After carrying out small-scale arson attacks, the accused allegedly recorded videos and sent them to their handlers in Pakistan.
Lucknow Station Blast Foiled
According to the PTI report, members of the group were tasked with conducting reconnaissance of important institutions and political figures, and sharing sensitive information with their handlers. They were also allegedly planning attacks on railway signal boxes, vehicles and trucks carrying gas cylinders to cause large-scale damage and trigger panic.
The ATS said the accused, along with their associates, had conducted reconnaissance in cities including Ghaziabad, Aligarh and Lucknow, and shared videos and Google location details of potential targets with their handlers.
The group had also allegedly planned to carry out an arson or explosive attack near the Lucknow railway station on April 2, targeting railway signalling systems and other infrastructure. However, they were intercepted and arrested before the plan could be executed.
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Officials revealed that the gang used these videos to solicit money, which was transferred through QR codes. Saqib is also accused of recruiting others into the module via social media platforms such as Telegram, Signal, and Instagram. He allegedly brought in associates including Vikas Gahlawat and Lokesh alias Papla.
During the arrests, the ATS recovered inflammable substances, seven mobile phones, 24 pamphlets, and Aadhaar cards from the accused.
Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network and trace the full extent of its cross-border links, officials told PTI.
A case has been registered at ATS police station in Lucknow under sections 148, 152, 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 13 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
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