In a serious breakthrough in its counter-terrorism operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has apprehended a “highly radicalised” woman, Shama Parveen, from Bengaluru. She is the fifth person to be arrested in a growing probe into the alleged Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) digital network operating in India. Parveen, 30 years old, hails from Jharkhand but had been residing in Bengaluru for the past five years.

According to ATS sources, Parveen was actively involved in spreading extremist ideologies through various social media platforms. Authorities stated that she was deeply entrenched in radical views and played a central role in managing an online propaganda campaign believed to be tied to AQIS. What raised alarm was that data extracted from her phone revealed contact with multiple individuals based in Pakistan, further solidifying the transnational nature of the suspected terror ring.

Her arrest came after a joint effort by the Gujarat ATS and the Bengaluru Police, who conducted a raid at her home located in the Manorayanapalya area of the city. The team zeroed in on her based on leads from previously arrested suspects. Interestingly, despite her radical leanings, Parveen holds a graduate degree and had been staying in Bengaluru for three years with her brother, who works as a software engineer.

Before this, four other suspects were arrested in the same case — Md Faiq from Delhi, Md Fardeen from Ahmedabad, Sefullah Kureshi from Modasa, and Zeeshan Ali from Noida. All five are suspected to be part of a larger AQIS-inspired digital recruitment and propaganda operation.

Parveen's detention follows the July 22 arrests of the aforementioned four men. These individuals were accused of promoting radical AQIS-linked content on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. They now face charges under multiple provisions of both the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the Gujarat ATS, they have been booked under sections 13, 18, 38, 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and sections 113, 152, 196, 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023. These charges cover a range of offenses including spreading terrorist propaganda, unlawful association, and instigating violence against the Indian state.

Investigators further revealed that all five individuals were part of a secretive Instagram-based group that actively circulated jihadi videos and inciting messages. The group reportedly operated under names such as ‘sharyat-ya-shahadat’, ‘f4rdeen_03’, ‘mujahideen 3’, and ‘seffulah_muja_hid313’ — digital aliases believed to be used to avoid detection and engage young minds with extremist ideas.

The Gujarat ATS said the group had one alarming objective — to spread AQIS ideology in India under the campaign titled ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, a term often used by radical Islamist groups to justify violent jihad in the Indian subcontinent. Their content was allegedly designed to provoke Indian Muslims into waging war against the Indian government, calling for a Sharia-based Islamic rule to replace the democratic system.

The operation to arrest Parveen was led by DySP Virjeetsinh Parmar, who worked in coordination with central intelligence agencies and the Bengaluru City Police. Parveen was apprehended on July 29 and presented before the 8th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court in Bengaluru. Judge Vishwanath granted a transit warrant, allowing Gujarat Police to take her to Ahmedabad for further interrogation.

Upon examining Parveen’s mobile phone, ATS officials said they found she had been running Instagram and Facebook accounts that had already been flagged in connection with earlier suspects. She had also uploaded inflammatory speeches from AQIS leaders like Maulana Asim Umar and Anwar al-Awlaki, both known for their involvement in promoting global jihadist narratives. Moreover, Parveen allegedly disseminated videos featuring Maulana Abdul Aziz of Lahore’s Lal Masjid, notorious for his militant sermons, which included calls to overthrow the Indian government through violence and to create communal disharmony.

Further investigations claim that Parveen wasn’t just connected to AQIS networks — she allegedly maintained online links with individuals associated with ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) as well. Her digital interactions indicated an intent to radicalise Indian youth and attract sympathy for extremist causes through well-orchestrated social media campaigns.

The arrest took place on Wednesday, 30th July, marking yet another step by the Gujarat ATS in dismantling what appears to be a coordinated digital terrorism campaign. Officials confirmed she is the fifth person held so far in the current investigation concerning AQIS's propaganda network in India.

From earlier arrests, ATS found evidence including extremist literature from Fardeen Shaikh, which spoke about jihad as a response to India’s 'Operation Sindoor'. Another accused, Md Faiq, was allegedly in regular communication with a Pakistani Instagram user to orchestrate anti-India campaigns online.

Following her arrest, Parveen was taken to Ahmedabad under transit remand for further legal proceedings. ATS officials disclosed that her digital footprint included multiple suspicious social media accounts, email IDs, and possible links with foreign entities, especially from Pakistan. Now, intelligence teams in Karnataka are also involved, examining her local ties and any broader extremist web she may be part of.

According to Gujarat ATS, the lead that pointed to Parveen emerged during the analysis of online activities of earlier suspects. Particularly, an Instagram account allegedly operated by Mohd Faiq — ‘sharyat_ya_shahadat’ — had reshared content from other inflammatory accounts like ‘strangers_nation02’, ‘Strangers Of The Nation’, and ‘Strangers Of The Nation 2’.

As the probe deepens, digital forensics and surveillance confirmed her identity and location. Investigators stated that Parveen had been residing with her brother, an employee at a private firm, thus giving her the cover of normalcy while allegedly engaging in covert extremist propaganda.