Ranchi: The Special Cell of Delhi Police and Jharkhand ATS arrested a suspected Al Qaeda terrorist Shahbaz Ansari from the Chanho area of Ranchi. Ansari is an accused in case number 301/24 of Delhi Police's Special Cell. Jharkhand ATS SP Rishabh Jha confirmed his arrest on Friday.
Arrested village located on Ranchi-Lohardaga border
Delhi Police raided places in Jharkhand, Delhi and Rajasthan last year with the help of agencies of the Government of India and police of different states for tracing suspects keen on declaring Khilafat in India and plotting a terrorist conspiracy. Jharkhand Police's ATS had arrested eight suspects of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, while six undergoing training in Rajasthan were also arrested, most of whom are residents of Jharkhand. Ansari was absconding in the case. Meanwhile, Jharkhand ATS and Delhi Special Cell received information that Ansari had come to his village Chitari, located on the border of Ranchi-Lohardaga. On getting the information, he was arrested.
Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed
Among the suspects was the mastermind Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed, who worked in a private hospital in Ranchi. During that time, Delhi Police had arrested a suspect in the national capital. Based on the investigation, on August 23, 2024, a joint team of ATS arrested Faizan Ahmed from Hazaribagh. Later, on the basis of inputs received from Delhi Police, the ATS team raided Al Hasan Residency in Bariatu Joda Talab, Ranchi and arrested Ishtiaq.
Weapons found in Lohardaga
In August 2024, the ATS team raided Henjala Kauwakhap village of Kudu in Lohardaga. The team was in search of Altaf alias Iltaf, but he was not found at home. During the raid, two weapons and several objectionable documents were recovered from his house. Ansari's house was also raided but he was absconding.
Suspects arrested so far