Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has foiled an alleged Pakistan-linked conspiracy to assassinate a police or Army personnel in Lucknow, arresting three men and apprehending a juvenile who were reportedly promised Rs 3 lakh to carry out the attack and send a video of the killing to their handler across the border.

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The operation, carried out on Friday, followed intelligence inputs suggesting that youths from Punjab had been recruited by a Pakistan-based handler associated with the banned Shahzad Bhatti Network to execute a targeted killing in the Uttar Pradesh capital.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash described the operation as "a significant breakthrough".

"We received intelligence that, on the instructions of a Pakistan-based handler, Rana Bhai, some youths from Punjab were conspiring to carry out a targeted killing of a police or Army personnel in Lucknow," Yash said.

Rs 3 lakh for killing, orders to record attack

According to investigators, the accused were allegedly acting on instructions from a Pakistan-based handler identified as Rana Bhai, who communicated with them through Instagram and WhatsApp.

The handler had reportedly instructed the group to identify and kill a police or Army personnel in Lucknow, record the attack and forward the footage to Pakistan.

"During preliminary questioning, the accused disclosed that they were in contact with the Pakistan-based handler, Rana Bhai, through social media platforms Instagram and WhatsApp. On his instructions, they had been assigned the task of carrying out a targeted killing of a police or Army personnel in Lucknow and recording a video of the incident to send to Pakistan," Yash said.

Police said the group had received money to travel to Lucknow and had been promised Rs 3 lakh upon completion of the assignment.

Investigators also uncovered an alleged escape plan under which the accused were to cross into Nepal after carrying out the killing to avoid arrest.

Three arrested, juvenile apprehended; foreign-made pistol seized

Acting on intelligence inputs, the ATS arrested three Punjab residents, identified as Gagandeep Singh, Rajat Kumar and Krish, in Lucknow on October 30.

A juvenile suspected of involvement in the conspiracy was also apprehended.

During the operation, officials recovered a foreign-made pistol and 20 foreign-made cartridges from the accused.

Yash said Gagandeep had previously been booked in an Arms Act case in Punjab.

Suspicious chats, reconnaissance videos recovered

Investigators examining the suspects' mobile phones reportedly found communications with the Pakistan-based handler, along with material suggesting that sensitive locations had been surveyed ahead of the proposed attack.

"Important evidence has been recovered from the mobile phones of the accused, including suspicious chats, videos and material related to reconnaissance of sensitive establishments and sharing their locations with the Pakistan-based handler," Yash said.

According to the ATS, the weapons and ammunition were allegedly delivered to the suspects in Lucknow by another individual associated with the network.

Preliminary questioning also indicated that the weapons had been sent from Pakistan, officials said.

ATS probes wider network, funding and arms supply

The ATS is now investigating the alleged conspiracy's wider network, including local facilitators, financial transactions and those responsible for supplying weapons.

Investigators are also examining whether additional individuals were involved in coordinating the suspected attack.

"To obtain detailed information about other persons involved in the conspiracy, local associates, the network supplying the weapons and the financial transactions, the ATS will seek police custody remand of the accused and conduct intensive questioning," the senior officer said.