Ranchi RSS Office Bomb Attack: ISI Link Under Scanner as NIA Raids 20 Locations Across States

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted searches at 20 locations across multiple states in connection with the petrol bomb attack on a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

According to officials, the raids were carried out at five sites in Uttar Pradesh, three in Maharashtra, two in Delhi, and one each in Bihar, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana, and West Bengal.

The operation follows the arrest of three individuals allegedly involved in the June 16 attack, who have been linked to the ISI-backed outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH). The accused were reportedly radicalised in Dubai before being tasked with carrying out anti-India activities.

Sources said two of the arrested persons, Saif Ansari and Aman Ansari, travelled to Dubai where they came into contact with a Pakistani national identified as Shahbaz Rana alias Bhatti. They were subsequently radicalised and agreed to promote the group's agenda. The trio reportedly maintained regular communication with their handlers using the Botim messaging app, popular in Dubai, and WhatsApp.

After executing the attack, the accused filmed the incident on their mobile phones and sent the video to their handler, sources added.

The three arrested individuals have been identified as Saif Ansari, Aman Ansari, and Sayam Sujan. Ranchi police tracked them through technical surveillance and the Rapido cab used in the operation. They were apprehended while attempting to flee, with assistance from police in Bokaro and Koderma districts.

Ranchi SSP Rakesh Ranjan had earlier stated that the case was transferred to the Jharkhand Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) due to its international terror linkages. "On 16 June, unknown criminals hurled a petrol bomb at the RSS office in Nivaranpur. Though no damage was caused, the sensitivity of the target prompted a thorough investigation," he said.

Preliminary findings revealed that one of the accused, who threw the petrol bomb, attempted to escape from police custody on two occasions. During the second attempt at Kotwali police station lock-up, he snatched a weapon from an officer, opened fire, and was shot in the leg in self-defence by police. He is currently receiving medical treatment.

Investigators believe more arrests are likely as they uncover the wider network, including funding sources. SSP Ranjan noted that the group appeared motivated by a desire to spread rumours and disrupt social harmony.

The NIA raids are aimed at tracing associates, handlers, and logistical support for the module across the identified locations.

(With inputs from ANI)

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