Major terror attack foiled: ISIS operatives planning blast in South Delhi mall on Diwali held

Delhi Police Special Cell arrested the two suspected ISIS operatives, both named Adnan, last week. (Courtesy: PTI photo)

The Delhi Police's Special Cell busted an ISIS module and arrested two suspected ISIS operatives who were planning to carry out a terror attack in the national capital on Diwali. While one of the suspected terrorist is a Delhi resident, the other hails from Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal.

According to an official, the ISIS operatives (both identified as Adnan) had targeted high-footfall areas in the national capital, including a south Delhi mall and a public park. The arrests were made on October 16 and 18.

"The arrests have averted a possible terror attack in Delhi," he said. One of the operatives was arrested from Delhi's Sadiq Nagar on October 16. The other terrorist was arrested from his hometown Bhopal.

According to Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwaha, both the accused were in touch with a foreign handler believed to be operating from the Syria-Turkey border.

What police recovered

The accused were associated with ISIS and in the process of planning a major terror strike in Delhi, initial investigation reveals. Police have recovered several incriminating materials including an ISIS flag and electronic devices from their possession.

The terrorists had on them a video in which they are taking a 'vow of allegiance' for ISIS along with photos of places they were planning a attack in Delhi.

"A watch they were using to make a timer for an IED, and photos of places they were going to procure the necessary material for making the IED have also been seized," said Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwaha.

He added that they (terrorists) had carried out a recce of places in the national capital where they were planning the attack (including a mall in south Delhi and a public park).

The story of the two Adnans

While Adnan Khan alias Abu Muharib (20) is a resident of Delhi, his namesake Adnan Khan (21) belongs to Bhopal. The former's father is a government employee and the latter was studying chartered accountancy. The 21-year-old Adnan was earlier arrested by Uttar Pradesh ATS in June 2024 for allegedly threatening an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) official on social media over survey of Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque.

The arrested ISIS operatives considered the Syrian handler their Amir and had created a group to exchanges messages and updates.

Both of them were using multiple Instagram accounts to circulate extremist content and stay in touch with their foreign handlers.