Gujarat teen arrested for 50+ cyberattacks during 'Operation Sindoor'
Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad
(ATS) on Monday apprehended an 18-year-old named
Jasim Shahnawaz Ansari
from Nadiad for his suspected involvement in
cyber terrorism
activities. According to ATS officials, Ansari escalated his cyber attacks following the launch of India's
Operation Sindoor
, which was a response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
Investigations revealed that between April and May 2025, Ansari and a group of juveniles allegedly carried out cyberattacks on over 50
Indian government websites
, targeting sectors such as defense, finance, aviation, urban development, and various state departments.
The arrest was made based on intelligence gathered during surveillance by the Gujarat ATS. Authorities discovered that Ansari and his associates operated a Telegram group called "AnonSec" where they planned and executed DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks designed to crash websites by flooding them with traffic.
Ansari reportedly taught himself Python programming through YouTube and downloaded hacking tools from GitHub. These tools were used via mobile apps like Termux and Pydroid to carry out the attacks. He would verify their success through platforms like checkhost.net and then share screenshots in the AnonSec group, often accompanied by anti-India messages such as 'Hi, India, we just took down your shield and servers.'
The group, made up of like-minded youth, frequently changed its name and shared posts promoting anti-national sentiments. On May 7, 2025, a coordinated attack targeted 20 Indian government websites, during which the group posted statements like 'India may have started it, but we will be the ones to finish it.'
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Authorities also disclosed that Ansari recently failed his Class 12 science exams, while one of his juvenile associates is still in Class 12. ATS is now probing whether the suspects were operating independently or were influenced by foreign elements. Investigators are examining their digital tools, software, and online footprints.
The Gujarat ATS has filed an FIR under Sections 43 and 66F of the Information Technology Act, which pertain to cyber terrorism.
[With TOI inputs]
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