NIA raids Delhi blast suspect 's Lucknow home; statewide hunt for sleeper cells

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted a raid at the Lucknow residence of Dr Shaheen Shahid, who is accused of masterminding the recent Delhi car blast.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

The NIA team, accompanied by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), arrived in the city early in the morning. As the operation began, Lucknow Police deployed security personnel around Shaheen's neighbourhood in Lalbagh’s Khandari Bazaar.

According to sources, NIA officials questioned Shaheen’s father, Saeed Ansari, and her elder brother, Shoaib, for several hours. Contrary to circulating rumours, the team did not bring Dr Shaheen with them.

After an extensive search and interrogation, the NIA team left the premises at around 11:42 a.m.

This raid follows a joint operation on 11 November, when the Jammu & Kashmir Police and the ATS searched properties linked to Dr Parvez Ansari and his sister, Dr Shaheen, in Lucknow, including locations at Lalbagh and Madiyaon on IIM Road. Several documents and other suspicious materials were reportedly examined.