29 July,2023 12:59 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan Khan
Image used for representational purpose. File photo
The Mumbai police on Saturday, July 19, increased the security of Chabad House in Colaba, one of the targets of the 26/11 terror attack. This decision came after the Maharashtra ATS shared inputs that the three accused, arrested by them and Pune Police in connection with the Al-Sufa terror organization case, had allegedly "conducted surveillance on several sensitive places" in Mumbai and Maharashtra, including the Chabad House, a Jewish community center.
Sources within the Maharashtra ATS have confirmed that the Mumbai Police Commissionerate and the DG office have been briefed about the situation, leading to heightened security measures.
Earlier this month, the Pune police arrested three bike thieves, but one managed to escape. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that these arrested individuals were "involved in a terror-related case of NIA", and a reward of RS 5 lakh was announced for their capture. The Maharashtra ATS took over the probe and as claimed by the agency, it found incriminating evidence at their premises, suggesting that they were allegedly "planning terror activities in the state."
During searches in Kondhwa, the ATS claimed that it recovered several items, including laptops, tabs, drones, maps, battery cells, electronic circuits, soldering guns, and black powder suspected to be explosive material. As a result, they invoked sections of UAPA and arrested Mohammed Imran Mohammed Yusuf Khan (23) and Mohammed Yunus Mohammed Yakub Saki (24). Based on their interrogation, a third accused, Abdul Kadir (40), from Gondiya was also arrested for allegedly providing shelter to the earlier arrested individuals.
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The ATS claimed that these suspects "had been planning terror activities for the past 15 months in Pune."
The agency is currently investigating the specifics of their plans and when they were intending to execute them. On Friday, the ATS arrested a fourth accused in the case, who is a resident of Ratnagiri.
(This is a developing story, and will be updated as and when the reporter receives more inputs)
