From ‘CEO’ to ‘Ghazwa Leader’: How Danish Ashhar Operated ISIS Module in Ranchi

Ranchi: Investigating agencies revealed that Danish Ashhar, an alleged ISIS operative arrested on September 10 in a joint operation by Delhi Police’s Special Cell and Jharkhand ATS, was plotting major terror strikes in Ranchi under instructions from his Pakistani handlers.

Ashhar, who went by the code names “CEO” and “Ghazwa Leader” within the ISIS network, was in direct touch with Pakistan-based operatives, officials said. He was reportedly working to advance the concept of an “Indian Caliphate” and had recruited youths from multiple states, assigning them different roles in the terror cell.

For nearly six months, agencies kept Ashhar under surveillance before launching coordinated raids in Ranchi, Delhi, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Karnataka, leading to the arrest of five people linked to the module.

Searches at Ashhar’s lodge in Ranchi led to the recovery of bomb-making materials including copper sheets, acids, sulfur, sodium bicarbonate, ball bearings, and laboratory equipment. According to investigators, he was actively engaged in preparing IEDs.

Ashhar, a native of Petarwar in Bokaro district, had been staying at Tabarak Lodge under his real identity. Locals described him as reclusive, while his roommate remained unaware of his extremist connections.

This is not the first time ISIS footprints have been traced to Ranchi. In earlier cases, suspects including radiologist Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed were arrested from the city’s Chanho area. Investigations in those cases suggested ISIS had considered Jharkhand as a potential training base.

Authorities are now probing further to uncover the full extent of Ashhar’s network and activities

With inputs from IANS