NIA raids house of suspect linked to ISIS in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh

A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team raided a man's house in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district in connection with his alleged link with the ISIS terror network, officials said here on Friday.

The NIA team raided the house of Shahnawaj Alam in the Ansar Nagar area on Thursday and seized a laptop, a printer, and other gadgets that might have been used for the terror link, they said.

The NIA officials remained tight-lipped about the content of the laptop and other documents seized from the residence of the suspect.

Sources in the district police confirmed that the raids were carried out by a team of the NIA.

The action was taken based on information provided by a doctor who was previously arrested by the NIA, they said.

This operation is being conducted as part of an investigation into the network linked to suspected terrorist Shahnawaz Alam, who was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in October 2023.

Shahnawaz Alam, originally hailing from Hazaribagh, was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in October 2023. Investigators suspect that his network may have tentacles in Jharkhand.

Investigators are also checking the background of Shahnawaz, who had earlier been jailed in 2019 for robbery and theft. After securing bail in December 2020, he allegedly came into contact with ISIS handlers, eventually becoming a crucial figure in the Pune ISIS module case. Officials suspect that individuals associated with Shahnawaz may still be active in Jharkhand.