Seven people arrested in Tamil Nadu in separate cases involving alleged terrorist activities have been found to have links with the Shahzad Bhatti network operating from Pakistan, according to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation, as reported in Hindu Tamil.
The development has raised serious security concerns as investigators probe alleged attempts to radicalise youth, establish links with banned organisations and facilitate activities connected to a Pakistan-based terror network.
UP Man Arrested in Coimbatore for Alleged Online Radicalisation
On 6 September 2026, Uttar Pradesh Police, with the assistance of the Tamil Nadu Anti-Terrorism Squad, arrested 21-year-old Maqsood Ali, a native of Uttar Pradesh, from Coimbatore.
Ali was allegedly staying in Coimbatore while posing as a worker and attempting to lure young people into terrorist activities through online platforms, according to the investigation.
Six Arrested in Thanjavur
In a separate case, six men, Yasar Abdul, Umar Mukhtar, Zakir Hussain, Abdul, Sheikh Fareed and Samsudeen were arrested on 1 October 2026 by the Special Branch and Thanjavur East Police.
The six were accused of conducting secret classes in Thanjavur for members and sympathisers of the banned organisations Hizb-ut-Tahrir and Khilafat, allegedly seeking to indoctrinate and radicalise young people.
Police reportedly seized more than 20 books, five mobile phones, a laptop and a pen drive from their residences. Two more people were reportedly arrested in Karnataka in a similar case.
Probe Traces Links to Pakistan-Based Shahzad Bhatti Network
Following the arrests, police from Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and the Tamil Nadu Anti-Terrorism Squad, along with NIA officials, conducted a coordinated investigation.
According to NIA officials, the investigation has established that those arrested were in contact with the Shahzad Bhatti network, which operates from Pakistan.
Investigators said Shahzad Bhatti, who was allegedly involved in drug trafficking in Pakistan, was subsequently turned into a terrorist by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI and used against India.
தஞ்சை மற்றும் கோவையில் 7 பேரை என்ஐஏ கைது செய்த விவகாரத்தில் அதிர்ச்சி தகவல்கள்
#Newstamil24x7 #NIA #Arrest https://t.co/XpcEqtyXFv
— News Tamil 24×7 (@NewsTamilTV24x7) October 7, 2026
According to officials, the network is involved in activities including the smuggling of weapons through drones across the Punjab border and the transportation of high-value narcotics to generate funds for its operations.
Religious Sites, Defence Installations Allegedly Targeted
Investigators have further alleged that the network’s plans include targeting major religious sites in India and monitoring the movements of defence personnel and installations.
For this purpose, the network allegedly used local operatives to install covert solar-powered surveillance cameras, enabling its handlers in Pakistan to monitor locations remotely.
Investigators have also linked the network to an incident in which secret cameras were allegedly discovered at Delhi Cantonment railway station in March, with Pakistani terrorists suspected of having installed them.
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