Internal Security Monitor (1-15 April, 2025) Vol 1, No 12

Dr P V Ramana

April 16 , 2025 Views: 212 Comments: 0

Tahawwur Rana, a co-conspirator in the Mumbai multiple terror attacks in 2008 has been extradited to India. Speaking to the media, former Home Secretary G K Pillai said ‘he is a small fish’ and David Headly is yet to be extradited. However, it seems unlikely he would be extradited owing to multiple reasons.

In a significant development, the proscribed Communist Party of India (Maoist) expressed willingness to halt hostilities. Its spokesperson Abhay said if the government halted operations in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh they were ready for a ‘cease fire’. Ahead of Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Chhattisgarh 126 rebels surrendered to the authorities in two separate incidents.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while chairing a high-level security meeting in Srinagar, said terrorism has been curbed in Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated that the mission to eliminate it has yet not been completed. He instructed security agencies to further intensify anti-terror operations through enhanced surveillance and seamless coordination to achieve the goal of uprooting terror in the State. Separately, four policemen were martyred in the Union Territory of Kashmir.

Armed Forces Special Powers Act has been extended in parts the North Eastern States of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Separately, imposition of President’s Rule has been approved by both the Houses of Parliament. Also in North East, Kuki-Zo tribes have expressed willingness to hold peace talks and have set pre-conditions.

All five Indian Mujahideen terrorists involved in the Hyderabad blasts in 2013 have been awarded death sentence.

Nearly rupees 18 crore worth narcotics have been seized in Gujarat. Air Intelligence Unit in Mumbai made a huge seizure of narcotics in Mumbai. Similar seizures have been made in other parts of the country.

Former cyber security Minster, Odisha, lost a huge sum to cyber fraudsters. A Northern Coal Fields employee lost rupees two crore while he was tempted by fraudsters who assured of quick gain through investing in stock markets. Police in Srinagar detected and blocked 7,200 mule accounts. An Army officer in Ludhiana lost rupees three crore in a digital arrest scam.

Police in Telangana busted a huge narcotics network, while a few other seizures have been made elsewhere. Gujarat police seized a huge haul of 1,800 kg of narcotics worth rupees 18 hundred crore.

Tahawwur Rana Extradited from United States

Mumbai terror attacks co-conspirator Tahawwur Rana’s extradition was one of the most complex cases pursued by Indian authorities, involving multiple visits to the US, convincing the American side about due process, and ensuring the former Pakistan Army officer remained in custody when he was about to be released. ^[1]

Rana, 64, a Pakistan-born Canadian citizen, was arrested by US authorities on October 18, 2009, two weeks after his childhood friend David Coleman Headley was held for his role in planning and executing the attacks by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) that killed 166 people.

CP (Maoist) expresses willingness to hold peace talks

Central Committee spokesperson of the CPI (Maoist) Abhay stated that Maoists were ready for peace talks with the State and Central governments, provided the governments created an amicable situation for the purpose. ^[2]

In a statement released to the media, he said the Maoists welcomed a round table meeting held in Hyderabad, on March 24, 2025, on the topic of ‘Stopping of war in central India-announcement of ceasefire by the Indian government-CPI (Maoist) Party’ by a Peace Talks Committee.

Civil society groups urge government to hold peace talks

A broad coalition of over 200 civil society organisations and concerned individuals has issued a joint appeal urging an immediate ceasefire and dialogue between the government and Maoists, particularly in conflict-affected Adivasi regions such as Bastar in Chhattisgarh, West Singhbum, Jharkhand, and Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. The appeal acknowledged the CPI (Maoist) offer for peace talks and the Chhattisgarh government’s response indicating openness but emphasised the need for the government to demonstrate its intent by immediately halting ground operations.

Eighty-six Maoists surrender in Chhattisgarh

As many as 86 members of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) operating in Sukma and Bijapur districts, Chhattisgarh, surrendered before the Telangana Police in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, on April 5, 2025. ^[3] The surrendered Maoists, including 20 women cadre, were provided with immediate cash assistance of Rs 25,000. They surrendered a day ahead of Home Minister Amit Shah to the State.

Fifty Maoists surrender in Chhattisgarh

Fifty cadres of Communist Party of India (Maoist), including 14 with a cumulative bounty of Rs 68 lakh, surrendered before police in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, on March 31, 2025. ^[4]

Among the Maoists who surrendered, six had a bounty of rupees eight lakh each, three carried rupees five 5 lakh reward, and five had bounties of rupees one lakh. The rebels laid down their arms before senior officials of the state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). They cited disillusionment with Maoist ideology, internal conflicts, and exploitation of tribals by senior cadres as reasons for their surrender.

The government’s ‘Niya Nellanar’ (Your Good Village) initiative, which provides basic amenities in remote areas, also played a key role in their decision to surrender.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, expressed happiness over the surrenders and welcomed them into the mainstream. He urged other Naxalites to abandon violence and integrate into society. ^[5]

Twenty-two Maoists surrender in Telangana

Twenty-two members of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) surrendered to police in Mulugu district, Telangana, on April 11, 2025. The move comes under the Telangana Police’s rehabilitation initiative “Poru Kanna Ooru Minna and Return to Your Village^[6]” The surrender event, was attended by senior officials from the Mulugu district police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials.

Amit Shah reiterates firmness to eliminate terrorism in Kashmir

Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir has been curbed but “our mission is still not accomplished” as the scourge has not been completely eliminated, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, on April 7, 2025. ^[7] Shah said significant progress has been achieved in tackling terrorism and ending separatist ideology.

Four policemen martyred in Kashmir

With a missing head constable found dead, the toll of police personnel martyred in a fierce gun battle with terrorists in Safiyan Jakhole village Kathua district, Kashmir^[8], has reached four and all bodies were recovered this afternoon along with their weapons while bodies of two slain terrorists were visible through camera footage obtained from the drone.

Security forces intensified manhunt to eliminate two remaining terrorists and are advancing after clearing the area to ensure that the ultras don’t manage to escape.

AFSPA extended in parts of Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh

The Union government has extended the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) for another six months in various parts of Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh, citing security concerns and the prevailing law and order situation in those States. ^[9] The decision, announced through a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), will come into effect from April 1, 2025. In Manipur, the entire state has been declared a “disturbed area” under AFSPA, except for the jurisdiction of 13 police stations spread across five districts.

Eleven militants arrested in Manipur

Manipur Police arrested 11 militants belonging to various banned outfits and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, media reports said on April 4, 2025. ^[10]

A police official said four militants were arrested from Imphal East district, five from Imphal West district and one each from Bishnupur and Thoubal districts. The arrested extremists belong to proscribed People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), United People’s Party of Kangleipak (UPPK) and Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) -- all are Manipur’s valley-based outfits.

Massive arms haul in Manipur

In a major crackdown on suspected militant activity, a combined team of the Special Commando Unit of the 8th India Reserve Battalion and Special Defence Officers seized a significant cache of arms and ammunition near a school in Imphal East. ^[11]

It was led by Officer-in-Charge Subedar L. Bebekananda Singh and supervised by Dr. S. Ibomcha Singh, Superintendent of Police, Special CDO Unit, Khabeisoi. According to an official statement, all recovered items have been handed over to Porompat Police Station for further investigation and necessary legal action. The cache, described as war-like stores, is believed to have been abandoned by militant groups.

Kuki-Zo leadership outlines pre-conditions for talks

The Kuki-Zo leadership has taken a firm stand declaring that any cessation of hostilities with the Meitei community will be contingent on three strict preconditions. ^[12] The first condition demands a complete halt to cross-movement, barring Meitei individuals from entering Kuki-Zo-dominated areas and vice versa. The second insists that a ceasefire must not be a mere pause in conflict but a foundation for structured and meaningful dialogue between both communities. Lastly, the leaders have called for a six-month ceasefire period to ensure stability and build trust.

President’s Rule in Manipur approved

Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved a statutory resolution in the Lok Sabha for the approval of the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur ^[13], media reports said on April 10, 2025. The resolution was thereafter adopted by the lower house. The House also expressed its respect, sympathy, and deep sorrow for those who lost their lives in the violence in Manipur. Lok Sabha confirmed the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur, following a heated discussion that began shortly after the passage of the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill. ^[14]

Tripartite talks for Manipur peace held

In a key step towards restoring normalcy in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, the first-ever tripartite talks involving representatives of the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) were held in New Delhi, on April 5, 2025. ^[15]

Meitei delegation comprised six members, Kuki-Zo community had six delegates and Zomi Council had two members. MHA was represented by a team of three officials led by A.K. Mishra, with Intelligence Bureau Joint Director Rajesh Kamble among them. From the Manipur government, Chief Secretary P.K. Singh and Additional Director General of Police Asutosh Sinha were present.

HuT terrorist charge-sheeted

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet in Tamil Nadu court against a top Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT) leader with promoting the proscribed terrorist group’s violent ideology and inciting youth to carry out its vicious anti-India agenda. ^[16] The anti-terror agency has filed its charge sheet against Faizul Hussain under various sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He is alleged to be the Nakim (head of HuT).

Telangana High Court upholds death sentence to IM terrorists

The Telangana High Court upheld the death sentence to five convicts, including the banned Indian Mujahideen’s (IM) co-founder Yaseen Bhatkal and a Pakistani national, in the 2013 Hyderabad bomb blasts. ^[17] A division bench of Justice K. Lakshman and Justice P. Sree Sudhha dismissed the appeals filed by the convicts challenging the order of a special National Investigation Authority (NIA) court in 2016.

The twin blasts in the Dilsukhnagar area of Hyderabad on February 21, 2013, killed 18 persons and injured 131 others.

Gujarat ATS seizes drugs worth Rs 1,800 cr

In a major breakthrough against drug trafficking, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in a joint overnight operation with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on April 12-13, 2025, seized over 300 kg of narcotics (methamphetamine) worth approximately Rs1,800 crore. ^[18]

Based on a corroborated input from Gujarat ATS, an ICG ship diverted and intercepted an attempted transshipment in proximity of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). On realising the approaching ICG ship, the suspect boat dumped its narcotics consignment in sea before and fled towards the IMBL.

Nearly rupees eighteen crore worth cocaine seized

Over rupees The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs, Mumbai, arrested a Kenyan woman for allegedly smuggling cocaine worth Rs 17.89 crore, media reports sad on April 3, 2025. The accused was promised one lakh Shillings by her handler on successful delivery of the consignment to a receiver in Delhi. The handler had also booked her hotel and flight tickets. The AIU officers intercepted a one female passenger after she arrived in Mumbai from Nairobi. Based on spot profiling and her nervousness it appeared that she might be carrying some contraband on her person or in her luggage, officials said. ^[19]

Two crore with heroin seized in Meghalaya

Cachar Police achieved a major breakthrough in its ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking, arresting 10 individuals and seizing a significant quantity of suspected heroin in four separate operations. ^[20] The coordinated raids were based on credible intelligence inputs. “We have seized 416 grams of suspected heroin. The estimated value of the confiscated narcotics in the black market is around rupees two crore.

Brown sugar seized in Kashmir

Police in Kashmir arrested three drug peddlers in Baramulla and Anantnag and recovered over 18 kilograms of brown sugar, charas and poppy straw from their possession. ^[21] Authorities stated that in Baramulla that they apprehended a drug peddler and seized a significant quantity of contraband substance in the Boniyar area. They intercepted a suspicious individual identified as Manzoor Ahmad Mir, son of Late Hafiz-Ullah Mir, a resident of Bernate, Boniyar.

Drug syndicate busted in Punjab

The Punjab Police, on March 31, 2025, arrested a drug smuggler linked to syndicates based in Pakistan and the US and seized 15 kg of heroin from him. ^[22] The arrested accused has been identified as Harshpreet Singh. Apart from seizing the heroin, police teams from Tarn Taran also impounded a two-wheeler being used to smuggle the drugs. The development came a day after the Taran Taran Police dismantled a drug trafficking cartel.

Telangana police bust narcotics syndicate

Police in Hyderabad, on April 5, 2025, arrested three persons involved in the same of drugs and transfer of funds thereof to Nigeria. ^[23] They have been operating for the past three years. They had opened accounts in the names of 15 persons, tapping who cell phones the network was unearthed. The drugs were sold in India, money transferred to the United States and then routed to Nigeria. The police established that several crores of rupees were transferred.

Navy seizes huge narcotics haul

INS Tarkash, a frontline frigate of the Indian Navy has successfully intercepted and seized over 2,500 kg of narcotics in Western Indian Ocean. This operation underscores the Indian Navy's unwavering commitment to combating maritime crime and bolstering regional security.

Narcotic related crime in Jammu and Kashmir

The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir said there has been a significant increase in enforcement action in drug-related crimes, with 2,897 arrests and 350 detentions made in 1,978 drug-related cases over a 15-month period in the union territory. ^[24] In 2024 alone, 1,514 cases were registered, resulting in 2,260 arrests and 274 detentions under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, they said. “For the first quarter of 2025 (January to March), 464 cases were registered, leading to 637 arrests and 76 detentions,” they added.

Ex-Cyber Minister cyber scammed

An Odisha Member of the Legislative Assembly Minister and former information technology Minister has lost rupees one crore and forty lakhs to cyber fraud in around one-and-a-half months, media reports said on March 31, 2025. ^[25]

Police arrested seven people - four from Karnataka and three from Tamil Nadu - in connection with the case. The former minister lodged a police complaint in January. He, however, claimed that a friend of his had been using his trading account and lost money.

Army officer loses rupees three crore in digital arrest

The Cyber Crime Cell of Chandigarh Police has arrested two persons in connection with a high-profile ‘digital arrest’ scam in which a retired Army Colonel and his wife were duped of rupees three crore and forty-one lakhs by cyber fraudsters posing as officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). ^[26]

The arrested accused have been identified as Mahak Yadav (25), a resident of Mohindergarh, Haryana, and Sachin Sharma (23), from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.

The investigation is being conducted under the supervision of SP (Cyber Crime) Geetanjali Khandelwal, DSP A Venkatesh, and SHO of Cyber police station Inspector Rohitash Kumar Yadav.

Sonebhadra man loses rupees two crore to cyber fraud

An employee of Northern Coal Fields, resident of Sonebhadra, Uttar Pradesh, lost rupees two crore and seventy lakhs to fraudsters, media reports said on April 2025. ^[27] He opened a link in his Whats App application hoping to make easy money in trading stocks. His greed had cost him his life time savings. He was assured of quick returns and sent two demat account n umbers. The fraudsters siphoned-off Rs 1.48 cr in one instalment and Rs 80 cr in another.

Maharashtra man loses rupees one crore in cyber crime

A 76-year-old man has fallen victim to a cyber scam, losing nearly Rs 1.08 crore. The fraud was carried out under the pretext of making profits from investments in the stock market, media reports said on March 31, 2025. ^[28]

The victim, Mohan Arjun, a retired individual, was scammed between December 2024 and March 2025. While browsing social media, Mohan came across a video related to a “Samco Security Scheme” in the stock market and liked it. Shortly after, he was added to a group named “VIP 826” via a mobile number.

Marathi actor duped by cyber fraudsters

Marathi film and TV actor Sagar Karande lost more than Rs 61 lakh to cyber fraudsters who promised him money for liking Instagram videos, media report said on April 5, 2025. ^[29]

This modus operandi is part of what is now called ‘task’ fraud. In this, scammers offer people money for repetitive tasks such as liking videos or rating products, before asking them to invest big amounts to move on to higher levels for greater returns. The actor lodged a complaint with North Region Cyber police station.

The Cyber Police Kashmir Zone today uncovered a sophisticated network behind the creation and operation of mule bank accounts, key enablers in large-scale cyber fraud and financial crimes, with 7200 such accounts operating from Kashmir.

Seven thousand mule accounts detected

Cyber Police Kashmir has registered four 4 FIRs with more underway and preventive security action has been initiated against 21 individuals, 19 of whom belong to Srinagar district. Speaking about the mule bank accounts, officials said that it is an account used to receive and transfer illicit funds on behalf of others, often in return for a commission. These accounts belonging to individuals, shell companies and enterprises are primarily scouted through social media platforms such as Telegram and Facebook. Then they are remotely controlled by fraudsters operating from outside J&K and even from overseas. ^[30]

Online financial frauds in Mizoram

Of the 321 cases of cybercrime registered between January 2020 and March 11, 2025, 56.38 per cent account for financial fraud in Mizoram. This made financial frauds the most common cybercrime in the state. According to records from the State cybercrime police station, a total of 181 cases of financial crimes, primarily online banking fraud and cheating by impersonation, were registered during the period. ^[31]

Human trafficking accused arrested

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a key accused involved in illegally sending to US a human trafficking victim, who was deported back to India earlier this month. Gagandeep Singh @ Goldie was nabbed from the national capital, New Delhi, in connection with the case. The victim had paid around Rs 45 Lakh to the accused. ^[32]

Measures for coastal security

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has taken following initiative to strengthen India’s coastal security:
ICG deploys 18-20 ships, 30-35 crafts and 10-12 aircraft for surveillance on a daily basis; ICG assets ensure maritime law enforcement to strengthen coastal security;
Surveillance efforts also focus on Offshore Development Area (ODA) and seas adjoining island groups -- Island groups (Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep);
Surveillance of coastal areas through Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) and investigation by Remote Operating Station (ROS) and Remote Operating Centres (ROCs) are undertaken. During the last 10 years, ICG has conducted 3,00,296 Boarding Operations for deterrence; To establish identity of personnel, 153 Coastal Security Exercises, 451 Coastal Security Operations, 458 Security Drills and 3,645 Joint Coastal Patrol Sorties.
Funds utilised towards acquisition of ships and aircraft by ICG towards coastal security (Pan India) is Rs 12,201 crore. Fund utilised for CSN (Pan India) is Rs 1,583.8 crore.

References