Delhi Police arrest suspected IS operative in Delhi near Dhaula Kuan with IEDs , UP on alert

The Delhi Police Special Cell have arrested a suspected Islamic State operative identified as Yusuf. He is being interrogated since Saturday morning about his presence and plans in Delhi.

In a late night operation on Friday, the accused was arrested with two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from the Ridge Road between Dhaula Kuan and Karol Bagh after an exchange of fire. A pistol has also been recovered from him, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwaha.

The NSG and the bomb disposal squad along with the dog squad reached the spot following standard protocol and defused the IEDs found.

The police team is verifying Yusuf's claims. Sources say that Yusuf has been misleading investigators by giving conflicting information of his place of origin. The source of the IEDs is also being investigated.

The arrested ISIS operative was also in communication with Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) operatives on cyberspace, ANI reported quoting sources. ISIS man’s origin has been traced to Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh. He is now being taken to his native place, Balarampur in UP, for probe, according to sources.

As per the sources quoted by news agecy ANI, the arrested ISIS operative was being handled by Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) commanders from Afghanistan and was planning terror acts in India. He was also in touch with IS entities of Kashmir.

Following the arrest of an alleged ISIS operative in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh DGP Hitesh Chandra Awasthi on Saturday sounded an alert in the state. The DGP has asked all police officers, especially those in field posting, to remain alert in view of the arrest and take necessary precautions, a senior official said.

Security checks have been intensified along the Delhi border in Uttar Pradesh's Noida in the wake of an alleged ISIS operative being arrested in the national capital with explosives, police said on Saturday.

Vehicles and passengers moving to and fro Delhi are being checked at the border, while Gautam Buddh Nagar district is also on alert mode, Noida Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh S said. Senior police officers also assessed security checks in the district bordering Delhi.

With inputs from agencies