UP ATS busts ISI module; four arrested for planning blasts near Lucknow railway station

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) busted an ISI (Pakistani spy agency) module and nabbed four suspected handlers from Lucknow, who were allegedly planning to trigger blasts near Lucknow Railway station and nearby places.

According to sources, the four suspects, identified as Saquib alias David, and Arbab, both residents of Meerut and Vikas Gehlawat and Lokesh, residents of Gautam Budh Nagar, were arrested on Thursday.

A senior police official said here on Friday that the module allegedly planned to create terror by triggering blasts at railway signal boxes, crowded places, vehicles laden with gas cylinders and at the premises of reputed organisations. ''Their first target was Lucknow railway station,'' the official said.

Director general of police, law and order, Amitabh Yash said that Saquib, who worked as a barber, was the head of the gang and that he was in touch with his Pakistani handlers through social media platforms like Telegram, Instagram and others.

Yash said that Arbab was also active in the network. The official said that Saquib and Arbab lured Vikas and Lokesh by promising them money.

He said that the ATS had inputs about their activities and it was able to trace them and nabbed all four.

A can filled with chemicals, seven cell phones, some pamphlets and Aadhar Cards were recovered from their possession. Sources said that the sleuths were examining the content of their phones.