Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a 29-year-old man from Balrampur district for allegedly working at the behest of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) through a Pakistan-based handler and taking part in activities aimed at building sleeper cells and facilitating a terror attack in India.The accused, Shahroz Ahmad, was arrested on July 19 after intelligence inputs suggested he had joined a terror network allegedly operated by Pakistani gangster Shehzad Bhatti and Abid Jatt. ATS officials said Ahmad, a Class 7 failed , had been working in Mumbai as an embroidery worker and had returned to his native village two days before the arrest, allegedly on his handler’s instructions.According to the ATS, the network was allegedly acting under ISI direction and used social media to recruit and radicalise Indian youth, offering money and circulating anti-India propaganda. Investigators claim the objective was to disturb communal harmony, undermine India’s sovereignty and security, and enable terrorist activity.The ATS said Ahmad allegedly established contact with Jasveer Chaudhary, described as an ISI operative, through Facebook, later shifting communications to encrypted platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Signal. During interrogation, Ahmad allegedly said he responded to an Oct 2025 Facebook post seeking “brave shooters”, after which he was encouraged to recruit other youths.Investigators also alleged Ahmad was told to travel to Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan to collect arms and explosive material, and that ₹5,000 was transferred to his bank account to support the plan. The ATS said digital evidence was recovered from electronic devices.
