Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], May 21 (HBTV): The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has apprehended two individuals, including a minor, for allegedly hacking Indian websites and posting anti-India messages online, officials said on Tuesday.

According to officials, the accused include a minor boy and another individual identified as Jaseem Shahnawaz Ansari, a resident of Nadiad in Kheda district of Gujarat.

Both suspects were reportedly running a Telegram channel where they shared evidence of their hacking activities.

During the recent Operation Sindoor, the ATS received several alerts regarding cyber-attacks on Indian websites.

DIG Sunil Joshi of Gujarat ATS said: ‘We often receive information about such cyber-attacks. During the operation, we found that anti-national elements were actively trying to bring down Indian websites.’

According to Joshi, Inspector Dhruv Prajapati of Gujarat ATS received intelligence about Ansari and the minor operating a Telegram channel named ‘AnonSec’.

A special team was formed to investigate the matter. The mobile phones of both suspects were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination.

The investigation revealed that the accused had previously created two Telegram channels named ‘EXPLOITXSEC’ and ‘ELITEXPLOIT’, which served as backup channels before being renamed ‘AnonSec’.

‘They created a backup channel so that if their primary channel was taken down, they could continue their activities through the alternate channel,’ said DIG Joshi.

Though both suspects had failed Class 12, they reportedly acquired significant hacking and cyber skills within six to eight months. In addition to hacking, they were found to have posted anti-India messages, Joshi added.

An FIR has been filed in the case, and further investigation is underway.

(ANI)