The NIA is conducting searches in Thoothukudi as part of an ongoing probe into extremist activities in India.
As a part of simultaneous raids at 22 locations across the country, the National Investigation Agency is conducting searches at one location in Thoothukudi, following specific inputs on connections between certain individuals and terror operatives.
ALSO READ | Mumbai on high alert: Police receive threat of ‘human bombs’ and RDX
The probe is part of a broader investigation into a terrorist network involved in youth radicalisation and planning insurgent activities, and their mode of communication.
Sources say the raids stem from the arrest of a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative by the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Tamil Nadu.
In April 2025, the ATS had arrested Akhlatur Muhammed, a 22-year-old painter hailing from Bihar's Katihar district. He was picked up from Chengalpattu.
The investigation into the arrest of Muhammed was handed over to the NIA and the probe began on August 19, 2025. Sources say that Muhammad was plotting to kill Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and had been in contact with LeT recruiters and handlers across the border through WhatsApp and other social media platforms.
He was arrested by the agencies immediately after the Pahalgam attack.
Muhammed had been earning Rs 20,000 per month as salary through his job as a painter at a construction site. He allegedly saved half of it to buy weapons for the terror plot. According to NIA sources, Akhlatur Muhammed had saved close to 40 per cent of his earnings to buy arms and ammunition.
As he did not get any proper job in Bihar after completing his ITI training, Muhammed travelled to Tamil Nadu to find a job only to make money for his terror plot and purchase arms. He had also attempted to travel to PoK for arms training: a plan that fell through.
ALSO READ | Who is terrorist Bagu Khan, ‘the Human GPS’ behind 100 infiltrations in J&K?
Muhammed had saved close to Rs 60,000 in the past few months for buying arms and weapons.
Sources say that the present searches are linked to the information revealed by Muhammed during the interrogation. Muhammed had been in NIA custody since August.