Terror attack on Ayodhya Ram Mandir foiled, says minister after arrest of suspect by ATS

An officer said that the suspect is a resident of Milkipur town in Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh and allegedly has contacts with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. Rehman was sent to 10-day custody of Haryana police on March 3.

Gandhinagar: A joint team of Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Haryana police's Special Task Force (STF) has foiled an attempt to attack the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, Gujarat minister Harsh Sanghavi said on Tuesday.

The Minister of State for Home was referring to the arrest of 19-year-old Abdul Rehman during a raid in Haryana's Faridabad on March 3.

The Gujarat ATS earlier confirmed that Rehman, a resident of Faizabad in UP, was nabbed by a joint team of Gujarat ATS and Haryana STF.

"Gujarat ATS and Haryana's STF have recently carried out a major operation. Their joint team foiled an attempt to carry out an attack on the Ram temple, a place revered by crores of Hindus living across the world," Sanghavi told reporters in Gandhinagar.

The police will soon share detailed information about it, he said.

The Haryana police on Monday said Rehman's arrest led to the discovery of two hand grenades.

An officer said that Rehman is a resident of Milkipur town in Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh and allegedly has contacts with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. Rehman was sent to 10-day custody of Haryana police on March 3.

During his interrogation, Rehman revealed he had hidden the grenades in an abandoned house near Pali village. He led the police to the house, and the grenades were taken into custody, he added.

An FIR against Rehman has been filed at the Dabua police station in Faridabad, the officer said.