The ongoing anti-terror operation by the Uttar Pradesh ATS against a holed up suspected terrorist at a house in Thakurganj, Lucknow, is everything the day before the seventh and last phase of UP Assembly polls didn't need.
The "Lucknow terror siege", as the counter-terror operations are being called, is reportedly the result of the UP police receiving inputs regarding possible terror suspects in the state. A team was sent to Kanpur, while another arrived in Lucknow, where the operations are currently on.
Anti- terror operation in Lucknow underway.Watch Live for full coverage here https://t.co/4fqxBVUizL#LucknowTerrorSiege #ITVideo pic.twitter.com/oVPBLzg7uX
— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 7, 2017
Terror suspect linked to #UjjainTrainBlast holed up in a building on Lucknow outskirts, UP #ATS operation on: ADG #DaljitChaudhary.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 7, 2017
The Lucknow op comes hours after a blast on a Bhopal-Ujjain train, in which eight people were injured. The terrorist suspect, called Saifullah,and a resident of the Hahi colony of Thakurrganj area, is reportedly armed and is refusing to surrender.
#LucknowTerrorSiegeEncounter is going on the basis of central agencies' input: Bhupendra Singh, HM, MP Live https://t.co/4fqxBVUizL pic.twitter.com/8J1q2aA65l
— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 7, 2017
The Lucknow op comes hours after a blast on a Bhopal-Ujjain train, in which eight people were injured. The terrorist suspect, called Saifullah,and a resident of the Hahi colony of Thakurrganj area, is reportedly armed and is refusing to surrender.
According to a report in the Indian Express, the clues leading up to the anti-terror op are still emerging. As per the report, "In a press conference today, ADG (Law & Order) Daljit Chaudhary said they had received inputs about presence of some suspects linked to Ujjain train blast in Kanpur and Lucknow, following which senior officials searched the areas."
“One suspect has been arrested from Kanpur, the second one is inside a building in Thakurganj. He has not come out yet.” Chaudhary refused to divulge any details on whether the suspects had any links to the train accidents as well as whether the suspect belonged to any terror organisation. “We will have to arrest and interrogate him first,” Chaudhary has said. The ADG added that the commandos were well trained in the operation and that they would complete the operation soon."
Evidently, incidents such as the MP train blast and the Lucknow siege have put the agencies on high alert, particularly because it's the final day before the last phase of the seven-phase UP Assembly polls concludes. The Madhya Pradesh IG law and order, Makrand Devaskar, has "confirmed that the blast was a terrorist atatck".
#LucknowTerrorSiegeNational Security Guards on standby: SourcesLive https://t.co/4fqxBVUizL#ITVideo pic.twitter.com/FfxAfvWLOS
— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 7, 2017
Badshah from Saudi Arabia rented out his house to 4 students.Watch @mausamii2u's report on #LucknowTerrorSiege#ITVideo pic.twitter.com/p2zHBC47KO
— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 7, 2017
Though reports are still coming in of all the efforts to nab the suspect alive, with police indulging in "restrained operations", the situation is extremely volatile, and is likely to rile up the voters who cast their ballot tomorrow.
Some of the key points of the siege are the following:
A. The suspect has no hostages, but might be armed.
B. The house is owned by a Saudi Arabia-based person named Badshah
C. Noida, NCR are on high alert. Raids are going on in other places of Uttar Pradesh.
When you create atmosphere to abuse soldiers, misuse Kargil martyrs, shout Bharat were Tucked Honge #RamjasLeftGang , then Lucknow happens
— Tarun Vijay (@Tarunvijay) March 7, 2017
What view can there possibly be on an ongoing anti terror op? https://t.co/Nnid6kNTXx
— Rohini Singh (@Rohinisgh_ET) March 7, 2017
Some observers and senior journalists have expressed their discomfort at the timing of this rather spectacular terror-op occuring on the eve of the seventh poll. While some have opnely questioned even the possibility of the tenuous connection that is currently being made.
Nevertheless, it is a shocking turn of events for poll-bound UP, which has seen an extremely tense few months in the wake up to the Assembly polls.
UP police says it is conducting "restrained" ops against Lucknow terror suspect. If intel came from New Delhi where are spl commandoes?
— M K Venu (@mkvenu1) March 7, 2017
"Low intensity blasts" and "restrained operations" against suspected ISIS agent in Lucknow the eve of final phase of voting in east UP.
— M K Venu (@mkvenu1) March 7, 2017