Terror plot to target Janmashtami festival foiled by Gujarat ATS

Gujarat ATS revealed that the arrested trio had a plan to set up a local module to execute their terrorist plans during the Janmashtami festival in the Saurashtra region.

Rajkot (Gujarat): In a significant breakthrough, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has successfully foiled a potential terror attack on the upcoming Janmashtami festival in the Saurashtra region after arresting three individuals for having alleged links to the Al-Qaeda, a terrorist outfit, police said on Wednesday.

According to a senior ATS official, the arrested have been identified as Aman, Abdul Shukur, and Saif Nawaz. All three accussed hail from West Bengal and were working in Rajkot's Soni Bazar for the last six months. "The ATS seized a pistol, 10 live cartridges, radical literature, and several mobile phones during the operation. The accused trio used highly-encrypted messaging apps to keep in touch with their handler based in Bangladesh, who instructed them to carry out different tasks, including radicalising others to join their cause," the official said.

"The accused had been receiving training on operating firearms, including AK-47 rifles, through social media channels. There are also concerns that the terrorists had procured additional weapons, including pistols. Their intention was to exploit the gathering of Janmashtami celebrants to carry out their heinous act," the senior official added.

According to the Gujarat ATS, the trio was under surveillance for some time before they were apprehended. "It was revealed during the investigation that the accused were in the process of setting up a local module to execute their terror plans during the Janmashtami festival," the Gujarat ATS said.

The Gujarat ATS has registered a case under section 121 (waging war against the state) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 25 (1B) A of the Arms Act against the accused.