Hyderabad: Telangana police, in coordination with Andhra Pradesh police, foiled a terror plot allegedly being planned by two suspected ISIS operatives. The accused – Siraj-ur-Rehman (29) from Vizianagaram district and Sayeed Sameer (28) from Bhoiguda in Secunderabad – were arrested and produced in court, officials confirmed on Sunday.

According to Deccan Chronicle, the duo, who came into contact via social media, had been radicalised and were in active communication about ISIS-related activities. They reportedly procured explosives through an online platform and conducted a successful trial blast at a secluded location in Vizianagaram. Encouraged by the trial, the suspects were allegedly preparing to carry out larger attacks, possibly under the guidance of a handler based in Saudi Arabia.

A senior police official stated that while the exact intended targets remain unclear, investigators believe the suspects were planning to “do something big.” The handler, suspected to be indoctrinating the pair remotely, played a key role in encouraging the operation.

Acting on a tip-off, Telangana police first apprehended Siraj at his residence in Vizianagaram. Interrogation led them to Sameer in Secunderabad, who was also taken into custody. Authorities are now working to trace the source of the explosives and determine how the duo learned to assemble and potentially detonate them.