The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted an early morning raid at a house in the Pelawal police station area of Hazaribagh district in Jharkhand linked with a suspected ISIS activist, sources said.
A team of NIA officers, arriving in a convoy of three vehicles, cordoned off a house and carried out an extensive round of questioning of its occupants.
According to sources, the search operation is linked to the probe into the suspected network of Shahnawaz Alam, a key accused in the Pune ISIS module case.
Shahnawaz, originally from Hazaribagh, was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in October 2023. Investigators suspect that his network may have tentacles in Jharkhand, making Thursday’s raid strategically significant.
Security was tightened across the area during the operation. Additional police forces were deployed, and teams from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) were also present along with NIA officials.
During the raid, the team seized a printing machine from the house, which officers believe may have been used to print documents, posters, or other suspicious material.
An elderly man present at the residence was questioned to determine what activities were being carried out there.
Investigators are also revisiting the background of Shahnawaz, who had earlier been jailed in 2019 for robbery and theft. After securing bail in December 2020, he allegedly came into contact with ISIS handlers, eventually becoming a crucial figure in the Pune module case.
Officials suspect that individuals associated with Shahnawaz may still be active in Jharkhand.
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