Two young men, one dream gone astray: Inside the lives of alleged IS recruits from Delhi and MP

Mohammed Adnan could have had a promising future with a diploma in data information technology. But the 22-year-old, arrested recently for allegedly plotting a terror attack in Delhi, chose a drastically different path — one that led him into the network of the Islamic State (IS).

According to a ToI report, Adnan hailed from Etah in Uttar Pradesh and was the youngest of four children. The family moved to Delhi in 2022, where his father began working as a driver with a media house. They later shifted to government accommodation in south Delhi’s Sadiq Nagar.

Initially, Adnan’s disinterest in academics worried his family. But after enrolling in a diploma programme this year, he reassured them that he would soon find a job.

Instead, police allege, Adnan began consuming jihadist propaganda on Instagram. “He started consuming jihadist material on Instagram, which eventually led him to join an online group, ultimately drawing him into the Islamic State (IS) network,” an official told ToI.

It was through one such group that he met another youth — also named Adnan — from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The two allegedly forged a close connection online around eight months ago.

“Initially, the association was limited to editing and disseminating radical videos on social media platforms,” additional commissioner of police ( special cell) Pramod Kushwaha said. “Soon, they started communicating with a Syria-based handler, Abu Ibrahim al-Qureshi, who provided videos, images and PDFs relating to IS. Influenced by these materials and contacts, he ultimately pledged allegiance to the IS Caliph,” he added.

The second accused, Adnan Khan from Bhopal, also came from a middle-class background. His father, Wasan, worked as an accountant for a private firm, while his mother was a part-time actor. He studied initially in a madrasa before switching to a regular school and completing Class XII. Following in his father’s footsteps, he had begun pursuing chartered accountancy.

However, police said, Khan too was drawn into radical online circles. He began consuming extremist content on Instagram and other platforms. In the summer of 2024, he was arrested for posting inflammatory remarks against an additional sessions judge over the videographic survey of Gyanvapi. The episode, instead of deterring him, allegedly deepened his radicalisation.

“After connecting with his namesake from Delhi, they created multiple Instagram channels where they conducted ‘Dawat’ — online calls aimed at recruiting individuals for their extremist cause,” Kushwaha said. “The Syria-based handler also asked them to disseminate short-form videos and reels to radicalise Indian youth,” he added.

Police said the duo began posting jihadi videos after adding provocative music and captions. “They established several pages on Instagram and YouTube, which repeatedly resurfaced after bans, and continued to post the same radical content,” DCP Amit Kaushik said.

Both young men, once on paths toward stable professional careers, now find themselves at the centre of a terror investigation that officials say underscores the growing reach of online radicalisation networks.