In a breakthrough in India’s ongoing battle against terrorism, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a 30-year-old woman from Bengaluru for allegedly masterminding and operating a terror module linked to the global jihadist outfit Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).
The woman, identified as Shama Parveen, is said to be the key conspirator orchestrating radical activities and overseeing communication and recruitment for AQIS from Manoramapalya, a residential locality in Bengaluru where she had been living for the past five years. Originally hailing from Jharkhand, her arrest came in the early hours of Tuesday, following actionable intelligence gathered from individuals arrested earlier in the case.
Sources close to the investigation revealed that Parveen had been on the radar of security agencies for her role in coordinating extremist operations across multiple Indian states, using encrypted communication platforms and social media channels to propagate jihadi ideology and radicalise vulnerable youth.
Widening Terror Net with Digital Reach
According to senior officials from the Gujarat ATS, Parveen maintained contact with four previously arrested suspects — Mohd Fardeen, Sefullah Kureshi, Zeeshan Ali, and Mohd Faiq — who were apprehended earlier this month from Gujarat, Delhi, and Noida in a coordinated operation.
These individuals, all aged between 20 and 25, were allegedly part of a growing network of AQIS operatives in India. Investigators believe they were recruited and groomed online, primarily via social media platforms, where Parveen reportedly played a central role in ideological indoctrination and logistical coordination.
One particularly concerning element of her online activity, sources say, was the promotion of “Ghazwa-e-Hind” — an extremist interpretation of Islamic eschatology that envisions a violent conquest of the Indian subcontinent. This narrative has increasingly been weaponised by radical groups to inspire acts of terror and spread communal hatred.
Parveen allegedly operated several Instagram handles and other digital identities to spread extremist propaganda, conduct closed-group sessions, and communicate covertly with radicalised youth across states — using the anonymity of digital platforms to evade scrutiny.
Legal Developments and Transfer to Gujarat
After her arrest, Parveen was presented before the 8th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Bengaluru, who approved her custodial transfer to Gujarat, where she will be interrogated further as part of the larger AQIS conspiracy case.
What is AQIS? A Quiet but Dangerous Presence
Though often operating in the shadows, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has long been a growing concern for security agencies. According to a 2017 paper published by the Middle East Institute, AQIS was formally announced in September 2014 by Al-Qaeda Central (AQC) under the title “Qaedat al-Jihad fi’shibhi al-qarrat al-Hindiya,” aimed at establishing a regional presence in the Indian subcontinent.
While AQIS has remained relatively low-profile compared to ISIS and other global outfits, recent reports suggest it is gradually expanding its footprint. A UN report issued by the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee highlighted that AQIS — currently led by Osama Mehmood — is actively attempting to establish operational zones in Jammu and Kashmir, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
A Wake-Up Call for Counterterrorism Efforts
Shama Parveen’s arrest underscores a chilling reality — that radicalisation is no longer confined to traditional terror hubs, but is increasingly being facilitated by digitally enabled networks operating across state lines, often from urban residential areas under the radar.
Authorities are now deepening their probe into how widespread Parveen’s influence was, how many individuals may have been recruited through her networks, and what planned attacks, if any, were in motion.
As India continues to confront the evolving nature of terrorism, where women too are emerging as active conspirators, this case signals the urgent need for enhanced digital surveillance, de-radicalisation efforts, and robust intelligence coordination between state and central agencies.
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