NIA Nationwide Raids Target Online Radicalisation for 'Islamic State'
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted coordinated searches across ten Indian states and the national capital on Wednesday as part of an ongoing probe into online radicalisation aimed at establishing an Islamic state through violent jihad.
The searches—covering Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi—followed the agency's takeover of a case originally registered by the Vijayawada police in March 2026. The case was initiated after a search at the residence of key accused Rehmatullah Sharif Mohammad uncovered materials linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).
The NIA stated that the radicalisation drive sought to overthrow India's democratically elected government by promoting the ideology of these proscribed terrorist organisations. Eleven persons have been arrested and one juvenile apprehended so far, with Wednesday's operations yielding several digital devices now subject to forensic examination.
According to the agency, the accused and their associates were engaged in indoctrinating vulnerable youth across the country using violent jihadi content and misinformation. They were also in contact with handlers based abroad. The NIA said it is working to identify others involved in the plot to destabilise the country and establish a so-called caliphate.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities examining seized materials to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.
