NIA Raids 20 Locations Across India In ISIS-AQIS Terror Case

NEW DELHI — In a major offensive against cross-border digital terrorism, the National Investigation Agency conducted extensive synchronized searches at 20 separate locations spread across nine states and one Union Territory. The nationwide operation, executed on Wednesday, targeted residential and commercial premises linked to an active online terror radicalisation network associated with banned global outfits, including ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). Law enforcement officials confirmed that the multi-state crackdown was launched following deep technical intelligence indicating efforts to propagate violent extremist propaganda and establish an illegal 'Caliphate' within the country.

The coordinated searches spanned multiple interior pockets, including five locations in Uttar Pradesh, four in Andhra Pradesh, three in Maharashtra, two in Delhi, and one site each across Bihar, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana, and West Bengal. During the rigorous four-to-five-hour operations, specialized counter-terror units seized a vast repository of digital assets, including smartphones, laptops, hard drives, and financial accounting documents, which will be forwarded immediately for advanced forensic examination.

Genesis of the Multistate Counter-Terror Probe

The vast network first came under official scrutiny in March 2026 when the Vijayawada Police in Andhra Pradesh intercepted a local ride-hailing driver identified as 23-year-old Rehmatullah Sharif Mohammad. A preliminary search of his premises led to the shocking recovery of highly incriminating jihadi literatures, digital instruction manuals, and operational guidelines directly tied to AQIS and ISIS frameworks. Recognizing the gravity of the institutional threat and its wider multi-state ramifications, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs officially transferred the case to the Visakhapatnam branch of the NIA in May 2026.

According to formal statements from the agency's spokesperson, Wednesday’s wide-scale operations were not random but were meticulously planned based on exhaustive technical analysis of previously confiscated mobile hardware, IP routing logs, and data connectivity mapping of the primary accused. The digital footprint established a clear chain of communication between localized operatives distributed across Indian metropolitan areas and a web of overseas controllers.

Modus Operandi: Digital Indoctrination via Social Apps

The investigation highlights a worrying trend regarding how modern terror modules operate in the digital age. Operational findings demonstrate that the accused and their close logistical associates were actively running closed groups across mainstream platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp to target and influence vulnerable Indian youth. By distributing tailored misinformation, altered media clips, and highly radicalizing audio-visual contents, the ringleaders attempted to build a localized support base for anti-India operations.

The NIA further noted that the local operatives were acting under the direct influence of a prominent foreign handler. This foreign mastermind provided strategic blueprints, recommended technical methods to evade detection by Indian intelligence services, and orchestrated the group's long-term goal of destabilizing the democratically elected government through violent means.

Sustained Action and Present Status of Investigation

With the latest round of enforcement operations, the total number of individuals formally detained under strict national security sections has reached eleven adults, alongside the apprehension of one juvenile operative. In places like Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, local teams backed by central security forces investigated suspected hawala transactions and illegal funding lines running through digital channels, highlighting the multi-layered financial framework supporting this online network.

Senior security officials have reiterated that the current phase of the probe is primarily focused on identifying hidden financial sponsors, catching secondary administrative handlers, and purging the malicious online groups used for recruitments. The agency expects further arrests as forensic teams decode the newly recovered storage drives and messaging applications over the coming weeks.