Top intelligence sources told News18 that chat groups on the messaging app that were dormant for the past one year have been reactivated by terror organizations to spread inflammatory messages and threats over the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. The frequency of such conversations on the messaging platform increased as the temple’s ‘Pran Pratishtha’ or consecration ceremony took place on January 22, he said.

The call by leaders of terrorist groups to “be prepared for 2024” has set off alarm bells within the central intelligence and surveillance agencies, a top official said as the latest analysis revealed a worrying increase in activities in various messaging mobile applications is, especially among older groups. Was relatively inactive since last year.

“Suddenly, these groups have become active again, spreading several messages inciting violence and terming the construction of Ram temple as a declaration of war,” the officer told News18.

Sources said the most active group is filled with messages from Farhatullah Ghori, a declared terrorist involved in cases related to the 2002 Akshardham temple terror attack. Ghori is a key member of banned terrorist organizations including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Currently in Pakistan, Ghori operates on platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube, and uses them to radicalize the youth. In October 2020, the Union Home Ministry designated him as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Last year, the Special Cell had arrested one of his suspected handlers in the national capital.

Security Grid sources said various groups with around 100-200 members, which were inactive earlier, are now actively sending messages on the Ram temple. The officer said, these messages coming from the leaders of terrorist groups are of highly sensitive nature. A central cyber agency reportedly conducted an analysis, which revealed the resurgence of several groups and later shared the findings with various agencies for appropriate action.

Officials said that keeping in mind the fact that Ghori’s influence extends beyond messaging as he plays a key role in inciting violence and promoting extremist ideology, intelligence agencies have shared inputs and are investigating any attack. Are coordinating with other agencies to stop.

The new Ram Lalla statue was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday, a historic event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also called for going beyond the grand. TempleIt aims to build the foundation of a “strong, capable and divine” India of the next 1,000 years.