’26/11 Scale Plot Foiled by Pune Police’: NIA Commends Swift Action
Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 6th November 2023: In a significant breakthrough, the Pune Police successfully foiled a major terrorist conspiracy with the arrest of two persons wanted by the NIA in Kothrud. The investigation revealed that they had planned an attack surpassing the scale of the infamous 26/11 Mumbai attacks across the country.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) commended the Pune Police and Police Commissioner Retesh Kumaarr for their swift and decisive action, acknowledging the crucial role played in preventing a potential catastrophe.
The NIA conveyed its appreciation through a letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police, recognizing the instrumental role played by the Pune Police in exposing the ‘ISIS Module.’ The action taken by the Pune Police not only led to the arrest of the suspects but also unveiled critical information about various terrorist activities.
On September 19, 2023, the Kothrud Police Station personnel Constable Pradeep Chavan and Constable Amol Nazan arrested Muhammad Imran Muhammad Yusuf Khan, alias Ameer Abdul Hameed Khan (23), and Muhammad Yunus Muhammad Yakub Saki (24) during a routine night patrol. Another suspect, Mohammad Shahnawaz Shafiur Rahman Alam, managed to escape but was later apprehended by the NIA.
Upon interrogation, discrepancies between the suspects’ documents and provided information raised suspicions, leading to their detention. A subsequent search of the residence in Kondhwa resulted in the discovery of anti-national conspiracies associated with the ISIS inspired terrorist organization ‘Sufa.’ The Pune Police seized 500 GB of data, religious and fundamentalist materials, including information, photographs, Google maps, and screenshots of sensitive locations such as Chhabad House in Pune.
Further investigations revealed that the terrorists had traveled to various cities in Maharashtra, inspecting them for potential targets. They had also resided in the Amboli forest of Kolhapur, where they buried and tested explosives. The Pune Police uncovered circuits for making bombs and seized drones from the suspects. The escapee, Shahnawaz, triggered a search operation, later taken over by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), resulting in a total of five arrests.
The ATS arrested Katil Dastgir Pathan, Seemab Nasruddin Kazi, Zulfiqar Ali Badodawala, Tanish Nasir Siddiqui, Zubair Noor Mohammad Sheikh, and Sharjeel Sheikh, along with Dr. Adnan Ali Sarkar. Shahnawaz, who had eluded the Pune Police, was subsequently captured.
The NIA’s letter commending the Pune Police marks a major recognition, underscoring the gravity of the thwarted terrorist plot.
