Four Arrested As MP Police Probe Alleged Sleeper Cell Module Across States
Four arrested in multi-state probe into alleged sleeper cell module.
Security agencies have uncovered a widening inter-state radicalisation network suspected of planning lone-wolf style attacks, with four arrests now made across Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. According to police officials, the module appears to be larger and more coordinated than initially assessed, with investigators probing suspected links to the banned terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The latest arrest was made in Bihar’s Madhubani district, where a 65-year-old madarsa teacher, Izhar-ul-Haq, was detained in a joint operation by the Madhya Pradesh and Bihar police. Officials said he is being examined for his alleged role in regrouping a sleeper cell network and for his possible position as a key coordinator within the suspected module. Authorities have described the case as part of a broader investigation into radicalised individuals being recruited for lone-wolf attacks.
Police sources said preliminary technical evidence suggests that Haq may have maintained contact with a Pakistan-based handler. Two Android mobile phones were recovered from his possession and are currently being analysed for digital footprints and communication patterns. Investigators are also examining whether he functioned as a central figure guiding and recruiting individuals from different states into the network.
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The Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has alleged that Haq may have served as the head, or “amir,” of the module, responsible for identifying, radicalising and directing recruits. Officials said the group operated through dispersed individuals across multiple states, who were allegedly being trained and influenced to carry out independent or loosely coordinated attacks on selected targets. Authorities are now attempting to map the full extent of the network and its operational structure.
Earlier arrests in the case include a Bhopal-based man working at a homeopathy clinic and another individual from Saharanpur, who investigators believe played a role in introducing recruits to the module. A third arrest was made in Rajasthan’s Alwar district. Police said that interrogation of all suspects is crucial to understanding the recruitment chain and alleged communication with foreign handlers. Haq has been placed under transit remand and is expected to be questioned further in Madhya Pradesh.
Officials said the investigation began after intelligence inputs from central agencies on June 12, leading to the initial arrest in Bhopal. Since then, the probe has expanded across multiple states, with authorities describing the network as potentially part of a “sleeper cell” structure. Investigators are continuing to verify evidence and digital data as they work to determine the full scale of the alleged conspiracy.
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