UP ATS Apprehends Dental Student for Suspected ISIS Online Network Involvement
The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Uttar Pradesh has detained a 19-year-old dental student for suspected connections to an online network associated with the banned terrorist group ISIS, authorities have announced.
The individual, named Haarish Ali and hailing from Saharanpur district, was apprehended in Moradabad on March 15, 2026. This arrest is part of a broader investigation into online networks with ties to ISIS operating within India.
Links Through Social Media and Encrypted Platforms
ATS officials reported that the second-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) student allegedly engaged with ISIS handlers and supporters via social media platforms like Instagram, as well as through encrypted applications such as Session and Discord.
Investigations have shown that these online groups were utilized to disseminate extremist ideologies, share propaganda, and circulate instructions pertinent to ISIS operations.
Attempt to Radicalise and Recruit
Intelligence reports indicate that individuals in Uttar Pradesh and other areas were creating digital networks with the purpose of spreading ISIS ideologies and recruiting individuals to bolster the organization's influence in India.
The groups were reportedly tasked with advancing the notion of establishing a caliphate based on Sharia law, according to officials.
Legal Action Initiated
Following these discoveries, a case has been filed at the ATS police station in Lucknow under the relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The investigation continues as authorities work to identify others involved in the network and evaluate the scale of the module’s activities.
