A major terror plot was foiled by Delhi Police after an ISIS module planned to carry out blasts in a South Delhi mall and a public park on Diwali.
The ISIS module reportedly targeted locations with most crowds during Diwali celebrations to inflict maximum casualties. The suspects reportedly underwent training for "fidayeen" or suicide attacks, reported ANI.
Police have arrested two operatives who were reportedly radicalised online. One of them identified as Adnan was arrested from Sadiq Nagar, Delhi, on October 16.
Interrogation led the investigators to Bhopal, from where another individual, also named Adnan, was arrested. The Bhopal man was earlier accused of sending online threats to an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) official over Gyanvapi mosque survey.
Pramod Kushwaha, additional commissioner of Police (Special Cell), on Friday said the arrests helped avert a possible terror attack in Delhi.
"They had conducted recce of several crowded places, including a mall in south Delhi and a park, where they planned to execute the strike," said the official. The operations were carried out by teams led by Kushwaha and ACP Lalit Mohan Negi.
A video showing the accused pledging allegiance to ISIS and photographs of potential target locations were recovered by police. They were allegedly in touch with foreign handlers and were preparing for an IED-based attack. The investigators are looking into potential links to Pakistan's ISI, which has allegedly supported ISIS modules in the past.
Police also seized a watch that was used as an improvised timer for an explosive. The accused planned to procure components for an improvised explosive device (IED) from certain locations and images of these areas were also recovered.
Probe is on to find out if the accused have tried to recruit others in Delhi and Bhopal.