Lucknow terror operation: NIA arrests two more suspects

The National Investigative Agency (NIA) on Tuesday made two more arrests in connection with the links to suspected Islamic State terrorist Saifullah, who was killed in a shootout in Lucknow, earlier in March.

The arrest was made under Section 121, 121A and 122 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 18, 18B, 23 and 38 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967.

The accused arrested are identified as 26-year old, Asif lqbal S/o Shahid lqbal, and other one is 27-year old, Mohammed Atif, S/o Parvez Akhtar; both hail from Kanpur's Chakeri Police Station.

As per the NIA, Asif lqbal became a member of the proscribed organisation and took oath of ally and associated himself with other accused in the furtherance of the conspiracy, whereas accused Mohammad Atif supplied arms and ammunitions to the accused persons and associated himself with the other accused in the conspiracy.

"This case relates to the criminal conspiracy of the active members of the ISIS related module from Kanpur who were involved in the conspiracy of planning terrorist acts to wage war against the state," read the statement issued by the NIA.

The arrested accused would be produced before the Lucknow Special NIA Court.

Earlier on March 8, terror accused Saifullah, who holed up inside a house in the outskirts of Lucknow at Thakurganj locality was killed by the commandos following a 12-hour long anti-terror operation.

The police claimed that the suspected militant's body was found with weapons lying next to him.

They recovered eight pistols, three passports, more than 600 cartridges, bomb-making instruments, timers, wires, compass etc.

On March 10, three more accused named Mohammad Faisal, Gauss Mohammad Khan and Md, Azhar were arrested by the NIA earlier in this case.