Story Content

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested two people in a case of alleged online radicalization and conspiracy where discussions were made in regard to such names as Ghazwa-e-Hind and possible targeting of people of various groups, including RSS-linked people.

The main defendant, Irfan Kalekhan Pathan (22), a Siddhpur resident of Patan district, was reportedly influenced by extremist Islamic ideology and had planned a Ghazwa-e-Hind by rising against the Government of India by arms. He was even allegedly gathering weapons and was about to start producing explosives and was also trying to recruit people to join jihad in India and overseas. 

Additional inquiry has shown that a resident of Sakinaka, Mumbai, Murshid Zahid Akhtar Sheikh, was also involved allegedly. Objectionable content and coordination chats had been discovered on his cell phone, and he was arrested with the help of Maharashtra Police. 

Information found on the phone belonging to Pathan led to the conclusion of communication with possible ISIS-related people via WhatsApp and Instagram. The strategy was reportedly to recruit recruits in various other states, train them up on weapons, procure weapons across borders, and organize terror financing. 

Under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, an FIR has been filed regarding the case at the ATS Police Station (No. 04/2026) and is in the course of investigation.