Foiling Terror: Suspects Arrested in Hyderabad Bomb Plot

Two terror suspects, including one originating from Hyderabad, were apprehended in a coordinated operation by the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh police on Monday. The suspects, Syed Sameer, a 27-year-old lift technician from Bhoiguda, Secunderabad, and Siraj Ur Rehman from Vizianagaram, were alleged to have been planning imminent bomb blasts, according to official sources.

The police stated that Siraj was the primary mastermind behind the plot, with Sameer aiding him in advancing these nefarious plans. It is alleged that Siraj acquired bomb components through various e-commerce sites in preparation for future attacks. The Vizianagaram Town-II police presented both suspects before the local district court, which remanded them to judicial custody for a fortnight. An official revealed that they were charged under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, facing accusations of plotting terrorist acts and disturbing public order.

Gopinath Jetty, Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Visakhapatnam Range, confirmed that the detained individuals had ties to terrorist activities. Counter-Intelligence agencies intend to petition the court for police custody of the accused to facilitate further investigation and evidence collection.

Commenting on the arrests, Andhra Pradesh Health Minister and BJP leader Satya Kumar Yadav remarked on longstanding reports of terrorist activities and sleeper cells. He noted the BJP's long-standing focus on the potential presence of sleeper cells around Hyderabad and other parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Concerns are rising about ongoing activities associated with groups such as PFI, SIMI, and SDPI, and there is significant worry over suspected ISIS elements in southern states. This situation necessitates vigilant surveillance of these groups.

(With inputs from agencies.)