Terrorist Gunned Down In Lucknow: Here’s What We Know About The First Islamic State Attack In India

Security forces gunned down an Islamic State (IS) terrorist on Wednesday morning in an operation that lasted for nearly 10 hours in the thickly-populated Thakurganj area of Lucknow. Reports suggest that the terrorist was linked to the explosion on a train in Madhya Pradesh which injured nine people on Tuesday morning and was an active member of the terror group’s Khorasan module.

Khorasan is a historical term that is used to refer to the region lying in the east of Persia. This region includes Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of India and Central Asia. IS had announced its expansion to 'Khorasan province' in January 2015 and claimed responsibility for the deadly shrine blast in Pakistan that killed over 90 people.

Earlier, it was said that two terrorists had holed up in a house and refused to surrender, however, Additional Director General (ADG) of Police of Uttar Pradesh Daljeet Choudhary confirmed to ANI that only one man was in the building and that he has been neutralised.

“After opening the door (of the building the terrorists were holed up in), the forces had gone inside and found one person dead. The suspect was found dead inside the house with weapons. During the operation it was felt that there was more than one person, but it was later confirmed that there was only one man. The operation stands closed and now the rest of the legal formalities will take place,” he said.

Speaking to the media at the scene of the encounter, Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) Inspector General Aseem Arun informed that a bag was found strapped to the terrorist’s back which is likely to be laden with explosives.

He added that a bomb disposal squad will clear the house first and then the investigation will be launched. He also noted that a lot of restraint was required during the operation as the goal was to ensure that the terrorist was captured alive.

Security has been tightened on the India-Nepal border of Pilibhit area in the wake of the encounter and vehicles coming towards Lucknow are being thoroughly searched by the state police.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh’s Inspector General of Police Makrand Devaskar has confirmed that the explosion which took place on Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train in Shajapur district yesterday was an IS sponsored terrorist attack. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has informed that the terrorist sent pictures of the pipe bomb to Syria after placing it in the train.

With Inputs From ANI.