NEW DELHI: In a major counter-terror operation, Delhi Police’s Special Cell has arrested two suspects in Mumbai and detained several others as part of a nationwide crackdown on an alleged terror module.
The two men, identified as Mossab Ahmad alias Kalam and Mohammad Hamad, were apprehended from Kurla and nearby Khadavli in a joint operation with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Officials said the duo were part of a highly radicalised module inspired by the Islamic State (IS), and were allegedly planning attacks using remote-controlled toy car bombs.
Sources revealed that investigators recovered incriminating material during the raids, including sensitive literature and chat records. The suspects were reportedly in the process of assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) when they were intercepted.
Preliminary findings indicate that the accused had joined radical online groups such as “Mission Khilafat” and “Soldiers of Jihad.” Authorities have also traced links to an individual identified as Abu Hufeiza, believed to be associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), who allegedly posed as an IS recruiter on encrypted platforms like Telegram.
“They were interrogated, and their mobile phones and electronic devices have been seized,” a senior police official said.
The probe has widened, with security agencies identifying four to five minors in Mumbai who appear to have been influenced by extremist propaganda. Investigators are now working to identify handlers and dismantle any potential sleeper cells connected to the module.
This operation follows a similar crackdown in Uttar Pradesh, where a suspect named Rizwan was arrested from Kushinagar by Delhi Police in coordination with the UP ATS. Rizwan, allegedly linked to the same module since 2015, is accused of recruiting individuals for the banned outfit. A significant amount of anti-national material was reportedly recovered from him.
The latest arrests also come amid heightened vigilance following earlier operations against terror networks, including the busting of a Bangladesh-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) module led by Shabbir Ahmed Lone.
Security agencies remain on high alert, particularly after Operation Sindoor in May 2025 targeted cross-border terror infrastructure. Officials say the focus has now shifted to preventing retaliatory “asymmetric” threats and neutralising emerging modules before they can carry out attacks.
