R Day threat grows: Armyman’s car stolen; ISIS plans to use child suicide bombers

Heightening the nightmares for Indian intelligence agencies and the police, a car bearing `Indian Army' sticker was stolen from the Lodhi Garden in New Delhi even as the ISIS threatened to unleash child suicide bombers on the Republic Day.

Security has been beefed in the capital following intelligence input related to a possible ISIS strike during the Republic Day celebrations and a high alert was issued on Sunday evening after intelligence inputs that 'ISIS child suicide bombers may target PM Modi on Republic Day.'

The NIA and other central security agencies arrested 14 people on Friday and Saturday for allegedly planning to carry out attacks ahead of Republic Day.

Media reports said a Hyundai Santro car with registration no HR 51T 6646, with a sticker indicating that it belonged to a personnel from the Army Hospital (Research and Referral), has gone missing in the capital.

Security agencies are working to retrieve the vehicle and avoid any untoward incident.

The latest car theft comes days after another car belonging to an ITBP officer was similraly stolen in Punjab.

The Pathankot terror attack had also a similar pattern, as the terrorists has used the car they had stolen from Gurdaspur SP Salwinder Singh after kidnapping him and used it to enter the Air Force Base where they opened fire.

The recently busted pan-India terror module was also in "constant touch" with people perceived to be close to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the feared leader of the Islamic State, receiving instructions for carrying out explosions at important places ahead of the Republic day.

Those arrested included Mudabbir Mushtaq Shaikh, the self-styled 'Ameer' of 'Janood-ul-Khalifa-e-Hind' (Army of Caliph of India), the Indian wing of ISIS. He was the man behind raising the outfit after earlier attempts by the global terror organisation to set up its base in the sub-continent failed, official sources said.

Shaikh, who assumed the title of 'Ameer', supposedly under instructions from Baghdadi himself, was active on some of the social networking sites. Manager, product development, for a sports company, he was under surveillance of intelligence agencies for several months and was tracked down after he received money routed out of Turkey and Syria.

The idea behind setting up the terror group in India was to extend Baghdadi's fearsome 'Caliphate', sources said, adding his custodial interrogation may help the security agencies unravel the plans of the organisation.

Delhi, meanwhile, turned into a fortress for Republic Day with 50,000 securitymen on duty to guard the capital for Republic Day celebrations.