Pak Terror Plot Busted: UP Youth Arrested in Karnataka for Conspiring to Bomb Ayodhya Ram Mandir

Davanagere/Harihar: Police in Karnataka’s Harihara Rural Police Station have arrested a  25-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh after recovering allegedly inflammatory audio messages and content on his phone, including references to bombing the Ram Mandir and contacts with Pakistani numbers.

The accused has been identified as Suhel, son of Liyakat, a resident of Lakhnouti, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was taken into custody on June 23, 2026, following a routine patrol.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), police received information from local informants that a man from another state had been staying in Bannikodu village for about 15 days under suspicious circumstances. The individual reportedly did not speak Kannada, raising concerns among villagers.

At around 5:00 PM on June 23, officers spotted Suhel on the Kargil Factory–Bannikodu Road. He reportedly appeared frightened upon seeing the police jeep. When questioned with the help of local staff, he identified himself but could not provide a satisfactory explanation for his prolonged stay in the village.

Key Evidence Recovered from Phone:

During inspection of his Oppo mobile phone, which was found in flight mode, police noted the number 7895178293 saved under the name “Suhel Rana Pradan.” Further examination of locked WhatsApp chats revealed a contact with a Pakistani country code (+92 3182345739) saved as “Rana Ji.”

Audio conversations in a mix of Hindi and Urdu were recovered. One clip allegedly contained statements expressing a desire to blow up the Ram Mandir using a bomb, according to the FIR. The phone was also subscribed to several WhatsApp channels, including “Memon & Jutt 333,” “Rana Bhai Group333,” and “VIP Public Channel.” These channels reportedly contained photographs of armed individuals, images resembling terrorists, and provocative content in Hindi and Urdu.

Police have assessed the material as potentially inciting communal unrest, disturbing public order, and posing a threat to India’s sovereignty, unity, integrity, and national security.

Suhel has been booked under Sections 113(3) and 197(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Harihara Rural Police Station (Crime No. 120/2026). The case was registered after obtaining approval from the Superintendent of Police, Davanagere. Further investigation is underway to probe the full extent of his connections, the nature of communications with the Pakistan-based handler, and any possible links to a larger terror network., and the mobile phone has been seized as evidence.

This marks the third arrest in the case. Two other individuals, including a resident of Davanagere, were arrested earlier in connection with the same module, according to reports.

This incident comes amid heightened security concerns surrounding sensitive religious and national sites. Authorities have not yet released additional details on any potential larger conspiracy.

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