UP ATS arrests doctor in Maha for radicalising Muslim youth
Lucknow: UP's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested Monday a homeopathy practitioner, Usama Maj Sheikh (24), from Badlapur in Maharashtra's Thane for alleged involvement in a larger online network aimed at indoctrinating Indian Muslim youths with the help of Pakistani mentors.
Usama's arrest came after the interrogation of Ajmal Ali (19), another alleged member of the network who was arrested two days ago. According to preliminary ATS probes, the group's objective is to incite communal hatred and prepare ground for a violent movement to establish Ghazwa-e-Hind - an Islamist concept of religious conquest - by spreading Sharia law through jihad.
The duo allegedly influenced young Muslim men to harbour resentment against non-Muslims, encouraging them to join anti-national and criminal activities aimed at destabilising the country, ATS said.
While Ajmal was remanded in judicial custody earlier, Usama was produced Monday before a court in Ulhasnagar, which granted transit remand to UP ATS officers. ATS sources said they were trying to identify other members of the network, including possible foreign handlers and local collaborators.
(Inputs from Pradeep Gupta)
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