A 20-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly carrying out reconnaissance of sensitive locations in Mumbai, including the Chabad House Jewish community centre, on the instructions of international criminal syndicates and anti-national elements, an official said on Saturday.
Yash Singh, a resident of Airoli in Navi Mumbai, was initially detained by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) after it received inputs about his social media contacts with anti-national handlers. Kerala police subsequently took him into custody in connection with a case registered in Thrissur district.
According to the official, Singh told the police that handlers on social media, linked to mafia gangs and subversive elements, had assigned him to survey sensitive areas of South Mumbai, particularly around Colaba.
His tasks included photographing and pinpointing the exact locations of the Chabad House, businesses owned by Jewish individuals and areas frequented by foreign nationals. He received money in exchange for these activities, the official said.
The Chabad House was among the locations targeted by Pakistani terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.
Investigators established that Singh was allegedly in direct contact with anti-national elements through the messaging platform Telegram, linking him to an accused already arrested in a case registered at Thrissur East police station under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Acting on information from the ATS, a team of Thrissur police arrived in Navi Mumbai and formally placed him under arrest after confirming his direct involvement in the conspiracy, the official said.
Officials said crime syndicates operating from abroad, such as the Pakistan-based “Shahzad Bhatti Network”, have been using platforms including Telegram, Instagram and WhatsApp to seek out unemployed and financially vulnerable youths for reconnaissance and subversive activities.
ATS officials urged parents and young citizens to remain vigilant, avoid engaging with unknown contacts online and refrain from sharing photographs or information about sensitive locations for monetary gain.