On 10 November 2025, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) foiled an alleged ISIS-linked terror plot to carry out attacks on the RSS office in Lucknow and Azadpur Mandi in Delhi.
In the coordinated operation, three individuals were arrested – Dr Ahmad Mohiuddin Syed from Hyderabad, and Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail from Uttar Pradesh.
According to officials, the trio was allegedly involved in planning the attacks and had been in contact with operatives linked to the Islamic State network.
For over three decades, offices of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been frequent targets of attacks, ranging from vandalism to sophisticated terror plots.
In this report, we take a look at 15 such incidents, highlighting a persistent pattern of violence against the organization’s premises and workers. The threats have originated from various quarters, including Islamist terror groups like ISIS and Jaish-e-Mohammed, as well as from political rivals, particularly in Kerala, underscoring the organization’s contentious position in the Indian socio-political landscape.
#1 ISIS Plot to Attack Lucknow RSS Office Thwarted – 10 November 2025
The Gujarat ATS uncovered and thwarted an ISIS-linked terror plot targeting the RSS office in Lucknow and Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi. Three individuals, including Dr. Ahmad Mohiuddin Sayed from Hyderabad, were arrested on 09 November. Investigations confirmed the accused had conducted reconnaissance of the Lucknow RSS office as part of their preparation for a planned strike, highlighting the continued targeting of the organization by global jihadist networks.
#2 JeM Operative’s Bail Denied in Nagpur HQ Recon Case – 21 March 2025
The Bombay High Court rejected the bail plea of Rais Ahmad Sheikh, a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative arrested in September 2021. He was accused of conducting reconnaissance of the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, including the Dr. K. B. Hedgewar Memorial, and sharing location details with handlers in Pakistan. The court’s dismissal underscored the seriousness of the threat to the RSS’s central office.
#3 Petrol Bomb Hurled at RSS Office in Kerala – 23 September 2022
Amid statewide protests following the crackdown on the Popular Front of India (PFI), two unidentified men on a motorcycle hurled a petrol bomb at an RSS office in Kannur, Kerala. The attack damaged the building’s window panes but caused no injuries. Police linked the incident to the heightened tensions during the arrests of PFI members.
#4 JeM Terrorists Reconnoiter Nagpur HQ – 07 January 2022
Security was intensified at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur after intelligence confirmed that terrorists linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) had conducted reconnaissance of the premises. Nagpur Police registered a case under the UAPA against unidentified Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operatives for allegedly conducting reconnaissance of key sites, including the RSS headquarters and Dr Hedgewar Smriti Temple. Sources said a Kashmiri youth arrested with a grenade in Pulwama revealed details of the 2021 Nagpur recce during interrogation. The case came days after JeM commander Mir Owaisi was killed in Kashmir.
#5 Mastermind of 2006 Nagpur Attack Killed in Pakistan – 01 January 2006
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Razaullah Nizamani Khalid, also known by aliases Abu Saifullah Khalid, Vinode Kumar, and Mohammed Salim, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Sindh, Pakistan. Khalid, the mastermind of the 2006 RSS headquarters attack in Nagpur, had previously headed LeT operations from Nepal and was linked to several major terror strikes in India, including the 2005 IISc Bengaluru attack and the 2008 CRPF Rampur attack. He was known to maintain close ties with senior LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa operatives such as Azam Cheema, Yusuf Muzammil, and Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi.
#6 Deadly RDX Blast at Chennai RSS HQ – 08 August 1993
A powerful RDX bomb exploded at the RSS Tamil Nadu headquarters in Chennai during a Guru Pooja celebration, killing 11 people, including 8 full-time workers, and injuring 7 others. Investigations revealed the bombing was executed by Islamist extremists as part of a broader plan to intimidate Hindu organizations, marking one of the deadliest attacks on the RSS.
#7 Terrorist Massacre at RSS Shakha in Punjab – 25 June 1989
Terrorists opened fire on an RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) morning shakha in Moga, Punjab, killing 25 swayamsevaks and civilians and injuring over 31 others. The attackers reportedly demanded that the RSS flag be lowered, and when members refused, they fired indiscriminately. Undeterred, the RSS resumed its shakha the very next morning, on June 26, at the same location – an act of defiance that strengthened Hindu–Sikh unity and dealt a symbolic blow to terrorist intimidation. The site was later renamed Shaheedi Park, serving as a lasting memorial to the martyrs and a symbol of courage and service.
#8 Live Grenade Found at RSS Office in MP – 24 February 2024
A major plot was uncovered in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, when police recovered a live hand grenade from the RSS office campus near the flag post. A bomb disposal squad safely defused the explosive. The office was empty at the time, as workers were away at a meeting in Indore.
#9 RSS Office Targeted in Midnight Stone-Pelting – 29 December 2023
Unidentified miscreants cut the electricity supply and pelted stones at an RSS office in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, around midnight. The attack caused minor damage to the office property. This incident was part of a pattern of localized intimidation and vandalism targeting the organization’s premises.
#10 Armed Assault on RSS Office in Meerut – 27 August 2023
Two individuals attacked an RSS office in Meerut’s Shastri Nagar, breaking the door and assaulting three workers. The attackers threatened to shoot them but were overpowered. Police arrived and arrested both individuals, recovering a pistol from their possession.
#11 RSS Office Vandalized and Set Ablaze in UP – 03 August 2023
Unruly individuals vandalized the RSS office in Kotwali, Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh. They set fire to two kitchen cylinders, beat up a student, and caused significant damage to the office premises in a brazen act of arson and violence.
#12 Explosive Device Blasts RSS Office in Kerala – 12 July 2022
Unidentified individuals hurled a bomb at the RSS office in Payyannur, Kannur, late at night. The blast shattered windowpanes and damaged doors, but no workers were injured. Police suspected the attack was intended to intimidate the local RSS unit amid rising political tensions in the region.
#13 Steel Bombs Hurled at RSS Office in Kannur – 08 November 2017
Alleged CPI(M) workers attacked an RSS office in Koothuparamba, Kannur, hurling two steel bombs at the building. The miscreants also proceeded to vandalize a nearby Sree Narayana Guru temple. The incident was investigated by senior police officers from the Thalassery region.
#14 RSS Office Set on Fire in Political Clash – 11 July 2017
Following a political clash during a CPI(M) event, the RSS office in Payyannur, Kannur, was vandalized and set on fire, allegedly by CPI(M) workers. The office was “completely destroyed,” leaving only the structure. A nearby BJP office was also vandalized in the same spree.
#15 Crude Bomb Attack Injures Four RSS Workers – 03 March 2017
A crude bomb attack on an RSS office in Nadapuram, Kerala, injured four RSS workers. The assailants, who remain unidentified, fled after hurling the bomb. The incident occurred hours after an RSS functionary in Madhya Pradesh announced a bounty for the Kerala Chief Minister, highlighting the volatile political climate.
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