According to ATS sources here, the youths were picked up from different localities in the city and being interrogated. Salim, who had been a student of Lucknow University, would certainly have formed his network in the city, ATS officials said. “We are looking for at least two close friends of Salim — Ashraf and Abdullah — who had studied with Salim at Lucknow University,” the officials revealed.

The ATS sleuths have also seized the records of the  “lodge,” where Salim had stayed while he was a student. ADGP (ATS) A K Jain said the admission records were being verified to garner more information about the duo. Jain said a team of the UP ATS was already in Delhi to quiz Salim.