Faridabad terror suspect may have been part of a sleeper cell: Report

The suspected terrorist who was arrested in Haryana's Faridabad with hand grenades could have been on his way to Ayodhya. The agencies are also probing if the 19-year-old man was part of a sleeper cell.

The man, identified as Abdul Rehman, a resident of UP's Faizabad, was detained from Haryana's Palwal by a joint team of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Haryana Special Task Force.

An FIR against Rehman was filed at Dabua Police Station in Faridabad. He was produced in a city court and taken on 10 days' police remand.

The man revealed during his interrogation that he had hidden two hand grenades in an abandoned house near Pali village in Faridabad, PTI reported, citing sources. They further added that he was scheduled to travel to the holy city on March 4. An STF official told the agency that he is believed to be in touch with Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI.

"The matter is very sensitive and investigation is going on, so it is too early to say anything,” an official said.

He told investigators during interrogation that he didn't know the name and address of those who provided him hand grenades.

Also read: Terror suspect arrested with hand grenades in Faridabad: Police

He came to the Haryana city from Faizabad on Sunday by train. It was planned that he would go to Ayodhya via train with grenades.

How was he arrested?

The Haryana STF has received information that a sleeper cell was supporting Rehman in Faridabad as they provided hand grenades to him, sources said.

“The Gujarat ATS received information on February 28 from its officers that Rehman, a resident of Faizabad, was in contact with a terrorist organisation and was allegedly plotting a major terrorist incident. The information suggested that he could be heading toward Faridabad to execute the plan. This information was shared with Haryana STF, and both agencies launched a coordinated search operation,” a Gujarat police official told HT.

With inputs from PTI