LUCKNOW, April 24 -- With the arrest of two suspects allegedly groomed online to carry out attacks in India, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Thursday claimed to have foiled a suspected terror plot with alleged links to Pakistan's ISI. According to an official statement, the ATS acted on specific intelligence inputs about Pakistan-based handlers using social media platforms to radicalise Indian youths and recruit them as sleeper operatives to disturb internal security and communal harmony. The accused have been identified as Tubar Chauhan alias Hizbullah Ali Khan, 20, a native of Baghpat currently living in Meerut, and Sameer Khan, 20, a resident of Seemapuri in Delhi. Both were arrested after the inputs were corroborated, the statement said. The ATS claimed that the duo was in contact with Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti and his associate Aabid Jatt, allegedly operating at the behest of the ISI. The handlers are suspected to have used platforms such as Instagram to establish contact, offer financial inducements and gradually radicalise the youths. "The accused were being developed as sleeper cells and tasked with reconnaissance of sensitive locations," the statement said, adding that they were also being incited to target specific individuals and carry out grenade attacks at selected sites. Investigators said the accused were promised Rs.50,000 in advance and Rs.2.5 lakh after executing the attacks. They were also assured assistance in travelling to Pakistan via Dubai. During the arrests, ATS teams recovered a .32 bore pistol, five live cartridges, a knife and two mobile phones. Preliminary interrogation revealed that Tubar created multiple social media accounts to stay in touch with handlers after earlier profiles were blocked, and later shifted to voice and video communication. Sameer was also allegedly in contact through encrypted channels and was instructed to write "TTH (Tehrik-e-Taliban Hindustan)" on walls and enlist more recruits, officials said. The ATS said the accused had also issued threats to certain individuals under the directions of their handlers, with Pakistan-based operatives occasionally joining conference calls. A case has been registered at the ATS police station in Lucknow under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The accused have been produced before a court, and their police custody remand will be sought for further interrogation. Officials said efforts are underway to trace other operatives and dismantle the wider network linked to the module....