UP on high alert after ISIS suspect caught in Delhi with explosives

Uttar Pradesh DGP Hitesh Chandra Awasthi on Saturday sounded a high alert in the state hours after the arrest of an ISIS suspect in Delhi.

"On DGP's instructions, all Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) and security agencies of Uttar Pradesh instructed to remain on high alert after a person was arrested with IEDs from Delhi today by Delhi Police Special Cell," said Prashant Kumar, ADG-Law and Order, Uttar Pradesh.

The ISIS suspect, who was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi police, was being handled by Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) commanders from Afghanistan and was planning to carry out terror acts in India, according to the sources.

The accused identified as Mohd Mustaqeem, originally from Balarampur, Uttar Pradesh, was also in touch with the IS entities of Kashmir, added sources.

Notably, the police have also recovered two cooker bomb Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from his possession. The accused was known to be in communication with ISKP operatives on cyberspace, as per the sources.

The accused is being taken to his native place for further recovery/investigation.

Earlier in the day, scores of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos and Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) were deployed near Buddha Jayanti Park in Ridge Road area to analyse the IEDs recovered from the accused.

The IEDs recovered from the accused have been defused by the security forces.

Mustaqeem was held following a gunfight with the Delhi Police Special Cell at Dhaula Kuan in the morning today.