UP police on alert following ISIS operative's arrest in Delhi

Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Hitesh Chandra Awasthy sounded an alert in the state on Saturday following the arrest of an alleged ISIS operative in Delhi.

The DGP asked all police officers, especially those in field postings, to remain alert in view of the arrest and take necessary precautions, a senior official said here.

The Delhi Police arrested the alleged ISIS operative with two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from central Delhi's Ridge Road area.

Mustakeem Khan alias Abu Yusuf, a resident of a village in Uttar Pradesh's Balarampur district, who was under watch for over a year, planned to carry out a "lone-wolf" strike at a high-footfall area in the national capital, the Delhi Police said.

The accused was arrested on Friday night following a brief exchange of fire.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, "The ISIS operative arrested from Delhi's Dhaula Kuan has connections with Uttar Pradesh. The possibility of his other associates being active cannot be denied. Security agencies in the state are on alert."

He also said the DGP has issued directives to the police officials of all the districts in Uttar Pradesh to conduct intensive searches at public places, religious places, hotels, roadside eateries, judicial buildings, bus stations, railway stations and crowded places, and remain vigilant.