Maharashtra ATS raids teacher’s homes in Mumbai over suspected Al-Qaeda links

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Wednesday raided two residences linked to a teacher in Mumbra and Kurla over alleged connections with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

The teacher, identified as Ibrahim Abidi, resides in a rented flat in Mumbra’s Kausa area and reportedly teaches Urdu at a mosque in Kurla every Sunday. ATS officials said the operation was part of an ongoing investigation into the AQIS network operating in India.

Teams also searched the residence of Abidi’s second wife in Kurla, suspecting that he may have been attempting to influence children with extremist ideologies. Several electronic devices and documents were seized during the raids and have been sent for forensic examination to determine any possible links to terror organisations.

According to a statement issued by the Maharashtra ATS, the searches are connected to the wider probe into the Pune AQIS case, in which a software engineer was arrested earlier this year for alleged ties with the banned group. Authorities had previously recovered digital evidence and incriminating literature from the accused in that case.

The Pune ATS had earlier arrested Zubair Ilyas Hungargekar on charges of promoting jihad and supporting AQIS activities deemed to threaten national security.

The latest operation comes amid heightened security measures following the recent car blast near Delhi’s Red Fort. Central and state agencies have been placed on alert, with enhanced security at sensitive locations and intensified surveillance to pre-empt potential threats.

Meanwhile, in a separate case, the Gujarat ATS arrested three individuals from Ahmedabad on 9 November for suspected links with the Islamic State (ISIS). The accused, identified as Ahmed Mohiuddin Syed, Mohammad Suhel, and Azad, were allegedly plotting coordinated terror attacks across the country and had been under surveillance for nearly a year.

Investigators believe the trio were attempting to supply weapons and plan multiple strikes in India. A day later, one of the accused, Azad, was identified as a resident of Jhinjhana in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district. His family has denied any association with terror groups and has called for a fair investigation.

Authorities across states continue to coordinate closely as part of a broader effort to dismantle emerging terror modules and prevent potential attacks.

With IANS Inputs