JeM, LeT Linked Faizan Sheikh Wanted to Kill Seven Hindutva Leaders.

Gujarat ATS Foils Terror Plot Targeting Seven Hindu Youths; Muslim Tailor from UP Arrested for Links With JeM, LeT.

Jitendra Singh & Indrani Tiwari | HENB | Navsari/Rampur | Jan 30, 2026:: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has claimed to have foiled a major terror plot aimed at assassinating seven Hindu youths allegedly associated with Hindutva-linked activities, following the arrest of a 19-year-old tailor from Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district. The accused, identified as Faizan Sheikh, was apprehended on January 25 from the Charpul area of Navsari in Gujarat, officials said.

According to ATS sources, Faizan Sheikh was allegedly in contact with operatives linked to Pakistan-based terrorist organisations Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and was preparing to execute targeted killings intended to send a public message.

Alleged Hit List Recovered

Investigators stated that during interrogation, Faizan confessed to having prepared a hit list of seven Hindu youths, all residents of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-NCR, whom he allegedly believed had made statements against Islam and the Prophet. The list, recovered from his possession, reportedly includes:

1. Dr Prakash
2. Yudhi Rana
3. Abhishek Thakur
4. Akku Pandit
5. Daksh Chaudhary
6. Gaurav Rajput
7. Vikrant

ATS officials said Faizan had allegedly planned to murder the listed individuals “in a way that the world would witness,” a statement he is said to have repeated during questioning and in messages circulated digitally.

Radicalisation and Foreign Terror Links

According to the Gujarat ATS, Faizan admitted to following Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, and consuming radical content linked to extremist ideologies. Investigators recovered 29 pages of radical literature written in Urdu and Arabic, which are currently being examined for ideological and operational links.

Officials further claimed that Faizan used money earned from his tailoring work to purchase weapons and ammunition, allegedly in preparation for carrying out the attacks. He is also said to have forwarded the hit list to a specific digital group, the members of which are now under investigation.

Social Media and Digital Footprints Under Scrutiny

The ATS has begun a detailed forensic examination of Faizan’s mobile phone and online activity. Authorities are probing his social media connections, communication channels, and possible handlers to determine whether the plot was part of a wider terror network or involved external logistical support.

“Initial findings suggest sustained online radicalisation and communication with extremist elements,” an ATS official said, adding that multiple agencies have been alerted.

Background of the Alleged Targets

Several individuals named in the recovered list are described by police sources as young Hindu leaders active in cow protection and related groups in the Delhi-NCR region. Some of them have faced legal cases in the past connected to protests and public confrontations.

Among them, Daksh Chaudhary, a resident of Garima Garden in Ghaziabad, has been a controversial figure. He previously came into national attention after slapping Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar during a public incident in Delhi and for making sharp remarks following the BJP’s defeat in the Ayodhya Lok Sabha seat.

Abhishek Thakur, originally from Kumbhi village in Raebareli and currently residing in Delhi, is also part of the same group. Both Daksh Chaudhary and Abhishek Thakur have received public praise from religious figures such as Pandit Dhirendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham and spiritual speaker Aniruddhacharya Maharaj, according to public statements made at religious gatherings.

Arrest Prevents Potential Attack

Security officials stressed that Faizan’s arrest came at a crucial stage, preventing what could have resulted in multiple targeted killings. “The intent was clear and dangerous. The accused had both ideological motivation and operational preparation,” an ATS source said.

Faizan Sheikh remains in Gujarat ATS custody, and further arrests have not been ruled out as investigations continue into his contacts, funding channels, and ideological influences.

Authorities have reiterated that the case is being pursued under relevant anti-terror and criminal laws, and that all allegations will be tested in court as per due process.

In India, many home-grown terror outfits and Muslim individuals, supported by foreign jihadi modules, are attempting to perpetrate Ghazwa-e-Hind (the Islamic capture of India through jihadi war), with plans to kill Hindutva leaders and commit genocide against Hindus.
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_Agency Inputs.