The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday carried out searches at 44 locations in Karnataka and Maharashtra, leading to the arrest of 13 individuals in the ISIS terror conspiracy case, primarily in Maharashtra's Pune.

The NIA, in collaboration with the police forces of Maharashtra and Karnataka, conducted coordinated raids.

Among the 44 locations, the NIA focused on one place in Karnataka, two in Pune, 31 in Thane Rural, nine in Thane city, and one in Bhayander.

The case revolves around a criminal conspiracy formulated by the accused and their associates, who embraced the violent extremist ideologies of proscribed terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

These individuals formed a terrorist gang, recruiting like-minded youth and conducting religious classes with the aim of promoting violent jihad to establish Islamic rule in India.

The arrests mark a significant development in the ongoing efforts to counteract terrorism and safeguard national security.