The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested Tufail Alam, a 45-year-old resident of Varanasi, for spying for Pakistan and spreading radical Islamist propaganda aimed at destabilise and Islamise India. His arrest marks a critical development in the growing threat of digital radicalisation, conversion and cross-border espionage.
Tufail, a native of the Doshipura area, was apprehended after a thorough surveillance operation. According to officials, he was an active member of several WhatsApp groups created and managed by Pakistan’s ISI agents, aimed at inciting communal hatred and recruiting sympathisers for extremist causes from India. Investigations revealed that he was disseminating messages invoking “Ghazwa-e-Hind”, an apocalyptic concept promoted by Islamists elements that envisions the conquest of India. He also circulated provocative content referencing the Babri Masjid demolition and called for the imposition of Sharia law in India.
What makes the case particularly alarming is the scale and specificity of his activities. Tufail reportedly shared messages and propaganda with over 600 contacts via WhatsApp and forwarded sensitive photographs of locations such as Namo Ghat, Rajghat, the Varanasi railway station, Gyanvapi, and even the Red Fort. Officials suspect these images may have been used to assess potential targets or to foment unrest.
The content he shared also included videos of banned Pakistani extremist cleric Maulana Shah Rizvi of Tehreek-e-Labbaik, further underlining his ideological alignment with anti-India outfits. Police say Tufail was not merely a passive recipient of propaganda but an active distributor working to radicalise others.
The ATS has booked him under the Official Secrets Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Digital devices, including a mobile phone used for these activities, have been seized for forensic analysis.
Tufail’s arrest underscores the deepening nexus between cross-border intelligence agencies and domestic radical elements exploiting digital platforms to challenge India’s internal peace and sovereignty. Investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of his network and identify any local collaborators.
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