The Designation and Immediate Facts

MHA designates 23 terror functionaries including Bengaluru engineer: implications for India’s internal security

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on 4 July that 23 individuals – 17 Pakistanis and six Indians – have been formally designated as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Among them is Mohammed Shahid Faisal, a 42‑year‑old engineering graduate from Bengaluru, accused of handling Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT), Al‑Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) operatives and of orchestrating blasts in Mangaluru (2023) and Bengaluru (2024). The move is presented as part of the government’s “zero‑tolerance” policy against terror networks that operate from Pakistan‑occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK J&K).

The MHA list identifies Faisal as “Mohammad Shahid Faisal (alias Ustad, Muhandis, Zakir)”, describing him as a Pakistani national originally from India who now operates from Rawalpindi. The designation also cites his involvement in the 2012 Bengaluru LeT conspiracy, the 2013 Nanded plot to kill right‑wing politicians, and recent online‑handler activities linked to the Rameshwaram Café blast (March 2024) and the Mangaluru autorickshaw bomb (Nov 2023).

• ▸23 individuals designated as terrorists on 4 July 2025
• ▸17 Pakistanis and six Indians on the list
• ▸Faisal’s alleged roles: mastermind of 2012 Bengaluru LeT case, handler of IS‑linked attacks in South India
• ▸Recent incidents tied to Faisal: Rameshwaram Café blast (2024), Mangaluru cooker blast (2023)
• ▸All listed persons are said to operate from Pakistan or PoK J&K

Legal Framework: How UAPA Enables Terrorist Listing

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act provides the central government with sweeping powers to declare individuals and organisations as terrorist entities. Section 3 of the Act authorises the Home Secretary to issue a designation order after a confidential assessment, bypassing the need for a criminal trial. Once designated, assets can be frozen, travel restricted and prosecution under the Act becomes mandatory. The law also mandates that the designation be communicated to the National Investigation Agency, which then assumes investigative jurisdiction.

• ▸Section 3 empowers the Home Secretary to designate individuals as terrorists
• ▸Designated persons face asset seizure, travel bans, and mandatory prosecution under UAPA
• ▸The National Investigation Agency gains exclusive investigative authority over UAPA cases
• ▸Designations are reviewed every six months, but revocation is rare

Cross‑border Dynamics and the Role of Border Agencies

Most of the designated functionaries are alleged to be based in Pakistan or PoK J&K, underscoring the trans‑national character of the threat. The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indo‑Pakistani ceasefire monitoring mechanism have long struggled to curb infiltration along the Line of Control (LoC). Faisal’s reported movement to the Syria‑Turkey frontier illustrates how Indian operatives exploit porous routes to join global jihadist networks, complicating bilateral counter‑terrorism cooperation.

• ▸17 of the 23 designated terrorists are Pakistani nationals operating from Rawalpindi
• ▸All are said to conduct activities from Pakistan or PoK J&K, highlighting cross‑border infiltration
• ▸The BSF monitors over 1,200 km of the LoC, yet infiltration persists through tunnels and covert routes
• ▸International cooperation with Pakistan remains limited, with few joint operations on terror financing

Socio‑economic Roots of Online Radicalisation

Faisal’s profile as a tech‑savvy engineering graduate reflects a broader pattern: educated youth are recruited via encrypted platforms such as Telegram and YouTube, where extremist narratives are packaged as “jihadist” or “anti‑national” content. Studies by the Ministry of Home Affairs indicate that unemployment and perceived marginalisation in urban centres fuel susceptibility to such propaganda. The online handler model reduces the need for physical training camps, allowing radicalisation to occur entirely in the digital sphere.

• ▸Recruitment channels include Telegram, YouTube, and niche forums like “Sawat‑al‑Haq”
• ▸Youth unemployment in Tier‑2 cities exceeds 9 % (2024 data), correlating with higher radicalisation risk
• ▸Digital propaganda often frames attacks as “Istishhad” (suicide bombing) against the Indian state
• ▸The NIA’s cyber‑cell has seized over 5,000 GB of extremist data in the past year alone

Looking Ahead: Deterrence, Enforcement, and Policy Gaps

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s declaration that the designations will “dismantle the terror ecosystem” rests on the assumption that legal tools alone can curb a network that thrives on digital anonymity and cross‑border patronage. While asset freezes and travel bans send a strong signal, sustainable deterrence will require coordinated financial intelligence, community‑level de‑radicalisation programmes, and a calibrated diplomatic push to hold Pakistan accountable for harbouring militants. Without addressing the socioeconomic drivers that feed online recruitment, the cycle of designation and re‑emergence may persist.

• ▸Asset freezes target an estimated ₹ 2,300 crore in suspected terror financing
• ▸Proposed community outreach pilots in Bengaluru and Hyderabad aim to engage at‑risk youth
• ▸Diplomatic notes to Pakistan demand extradition of designated individuals; past success rate below 30 %
• ▸Strengthening cyber‑law provisions under the Information Technology Act is under parliamentary review