Pune girl Sadia Anwar Shaikh, who had plotted a suicide attack on R-Day, arrested in Kashmir

(Photo: Representational)

New Delhi: An 18-year-old Pune girl was arrested by Jammu and Kashmir police ahead of Republic Day celebrations couple of days ago. Police claim Sadia Anwar Shaikh, suspected to be linked to ISIS, had plotted a fidayeen (suicidal) attack which was foiled. Sadia’s arrest was communicated to their counterparts in Pune. Her parents in Yerawada (Pune) have also been informed who had no clue of her whereabouts after she went missing some time ago. Reports say Sadia was a bright student and had attained 90% marks in her Class X examinations. She had high ambitions to become a doctor and intended to pursue the Science Stream. However, when life was looking up, she came in contact with certain radical forces from the ISIS through social media. Under the pretext of helping her pursue future studies in science, one Mohammed Sirajuddin came in contact with the teenager. He promised her medical studies in Syria. Not able to gauge his spiteful intentions, an innocent Sadia steadily got brainwashed with his extremist views. 30-year-old Sirajuddin, a native of Karnataka, worked as a manager in Indian Oil Corporation in Jaipur and was held by the police in 2015. He had been propagating IS ideology and was assigned the job to recruit potential youth. Suspicion grew in the minds of her parents when Sadia started donning the hijab and discarded jeans and trousers which were a regular feature of her daily attire. Her parents contacted the Pune ATS and the agency then enrolled her in the deradicalizing centre. After the counselings, Sadia returned home but again went missing representing efforts of the ATS turning futile. Her disappearance and now being found in the Valley involved in terrorist activities has left her parents in total dismay. Sadia is currently being interrogated by the security agencies.