In a major success in averting terror plot, Uttar Pradesh Police’s Special Task Force arrested two members, Ansad Badruddin and Firoz Khan, of the radical Islamist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) who were planning a series of attack in the country on Basant Panchami, reports Times of India.

Explosives in large quantities, weapons, and other incriminating documents were recovered from them.

Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Law and Order, Prashant Kumar told reporters, “Ansad Badruddin and Firoz Khan have been arrested from Kukrail trisection in Gudamba area here. With their arrest, the STF has foiled a series of terrorist attacks in various parts of the country on Basant Panchmi. A huge quantity of high-quality explosives has been recovered from them.”

During their interrogation, the duo reportedly told the police that their main aim was to train physically strong men of ‘particular community’ by brainwashing them and activate them when needed.

Condemning their arrest, PFI released a statement accusing the UP government of creating a fake narrative.

“On February 11, both of them boarded a train from Katihar, Bihar, to Mumbai. per their families, they last contacted them on the evening of February 11 after which they were not reachable on their phone. The family has filed a complaint at local police station in Kerala on February 16 morning. It was after filing the complaint by family that the UP STF hurriedly called a press conference and presented this fabricated story of their arrest and the imaginary terror attacks,” PFI said.

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