31-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Pakistani woman Nafisa linked to radicalisation of 240 Indian youths, UP ATS probes ISI network
LUCKNOW: Over 800 individuals, all contacts of Tufail Maqsood, 34, who was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) from Varanasi on 21 May on charges of spying for Pakistan, are under the radar of the agency. All the 800 people were added to 19 WhatsApp groups operated by Tufail.
Notably, UP ATS had arrested Tufail Maqsood from Varanasi, Mohammad Harun, 45, of Delhi, from Noida on 21 May, and Rampur resident Shahzad Wahab, 35, in the same connection from Moradabad on 18 May. All three are currently in ATS custody for interrogation.
The details of all 800 contacts were retrieved from Tufail's phone. An ATS source claimed that Tufail had been operating 19 WhatsApp groups to stay in touch with his modules across seven eastern UP districts, including Varanasi, Jaunpur, Mau, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Chandauli, and Ghazipur.
He was allegedly involved in radicalising them in the name of religion by posting inflammatory speeches of clerics and terror group 'leaders' from across the border.
Establishing his links to Gajwa-e-Hind, Tufail used to post content related to 'establishing Muslim rule in India before 2047 and bringing Shariat law into force in the country'.
