Gujarat ATS arrests 8 Jaish-e-Mohammed operatives plotting terror network
Synopsis
Gujarat ATS has detained eight alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed operatives spanning two states — from a Banaskantha locality to a Madhya Pradesh city — in what officials describe as a coordinated bid to build an active terror network inside Gujarat. It is the third major ATS counter-terror strike in the state in under a year, pointing to sustained recruitment activity by the banned outfit on Indian soil.
Key Takeaways
The Gujarat ATS arrested eight individuals on alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed links on or around 2 July 2025 .
Arrests were made across Gujarat (Banaskantha, Patan, Navsari districts) and Dewas, Madhya Pradesh .
The case is registered under Sections 13, 17, 18, 38 and 39 of UAPA and Sections 148 and 61 of BNS, 2023 .
Accused allegedly aimed to establish an active JeM terror network within Gujarat, according to officials.
The operation follows a January 2025 UAPA arrest in Navsari and a November 2024 ISIS-linked arrest in Gandhinagar — marking the third major ATS counter-terror action in under eight months.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested eight individuals for their alleged membership in the banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and for reportedly working to establish an active terror network across Gujarat. The arrests, carried out across Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, follow a case registered at the ATS Police Station on Thursday, 2 July 2025 under multiple provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Who Was Arrested
The eight accused have been identified as Ahmed Abdullah Gajiwala alias Abu Ubaida (19), Ibrahim Mohammad Husen Ghagha alias Abu Hamza (30), and Mudassir Abdullah Ghaziwala alias Abu Aya (22) — all from the Bhagal locality of Palanpur city in Banaskantha district. Also arrested were Zakariya Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha alias Zakariya Palanpuri (21), Mufti Faujan Ismail Dauwa alias Mufti Sahab (40), and Mohammad Amin Shera alias Amin Palanpuri (21), all associated with Jamia Abul Hasan Madrasa in Khadiyasana, Siddhpur in Patan district. Mohammad Abdul Rahman Savdi alias Abu Unisa (22) was held from Jamia Rahmaniya Khambhiya in Ambheta, Chikhli, Navsari district. The eighth accused, Bilal Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha alias Abu Dujana (18), was arrested from Warsi Nagar in Dewas city, Madhya Pradesh.
What the ATS Said
'All eight accused are members of the banned organisation and were actively working on behalf of Jaish-e-Mohammed to set up an active network in the state to further its terror activities,' officials said. The case has been registered under Sections 13, 17, 18, 38 and 39 of the UAPA and Sections 148 and 61 of the BNS.
Pattern of Gujarat ATS Anti-Terror Operations
This operation is the latest in a series of counter-terror actions by the Gujarat ATS. In January 2025, the ATS and Navsari Police arrested a 22-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh in Navsari, alleging he possessed jihadi literature, a pistol, and ammunition, and had been in contact with an individual linked to extremist propaganda. Digital material recovered from him allegedly included content supporting banned organisations, including JeM, with the case registered under the UAPA, BNS, and the Arms Act.
In November 2024, the Gujarat ATS arrested three suspects from Adalaj in Gandhinagar over alleged links with ISIS. Officials said weapons were recovered and alleged the suspects had been planning attacks in different parts of the country. Notably, this marks the third significant ATS counter-terror operation in Gujarat within roughly eight months.
Investigation Ongoing
The probe into the latest arrests is continuing, according to officials. Further details, including any recovered material or specific targets allegedly identified by the accused, are yet to be disclosed. The scale and geographic spread of the arrests — spanning at least two states and multiple districts — suggests investigators believe the network was at an advanced stage of organisation.
Point of View
Possibly both. What remains unanswered is whether the network had moved beyond organisation into operational planning — a distinction that will matter enormously in court under the UAPA's stringent membership provisions. The involvement of young men aged 18 to 22 from madrasa settings also raises questions about radicalisation pathways that go beyond this case.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did the Gujarat ATS arrest in the Jaish-e-Mohammed case?
The Gujarat ATS arrested eight individuals allegedly linked to the banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, including Ahmed Abdullah Gajiwala, Ibrahim Mohammad Husen Ghagha, Mudassir Abdullah Ghaziwala, Zakariya Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha, Mufti Faujan Ismail Dauwa, Mohammad Amin Shera, Mohammad Abdul Rahman Savdi, and Bilal Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha. The accused range in age from 18 to 40 and were held from multiple locations across Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
What charges have been filed against the eight accused?
The case has been registered under Sections 13, 17, 18, 38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and Sections 148 and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. These provisions relate to unlawful activity, funding of terror, conspiracy, and membership of a banned organisation.
What was the alleged purpose of the network the accused were building?
According to the ATS, all eight accused were allegedly working on behalf of Jaish-e-Mohammed to establish an active terror network within Gujarat to further the outfit's activities. The investigation is ongoing and further operational details have not yet been disclosed by officials.
How does this arrest fit into Gujarat ATS's recent anti-terror record?
This is the third major counter-terror operation by the Gujarat ATS in under eight months. In January 2025, a man from Uttar Pradesh was arrested in Navsari for allegedly possessing jihadi material and links to extremist propaganda. In November 2024, three suspects with alleged ISIS links were arrested in Gandhinagar. The latest operation indicates a sustained pattern of anti-terror activity in the state.
Which locations were covered in the Gujarat ATS operation?
The arrests spanned several districts — Banaskantha (Palanpur city), Patan (Siddhpur), and Navsari (Chikhli) in Gujarat, as well as Dewas city in Madhya Pradesh. Some accused were associated with madrasas in Patan and Navsari districts.
