ATS Probe Reveals Bhiwandi Police Station Reconnaissance Linked To Alleged Pakistan-Based Terror Network

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Mumbai Crime Branch alerted the Thane Police after one of the accused in a terror plot allegedly linked to the Garib Nagar demolition conducted reconnaissance of the Narpoli police station in Bhiwandi and shared an 18-second video with Pakistan-based handler Shahzad Bhatti and operative Abid Jatt, police sources said.

Two Accused Arrested By UP ATS

The accused, identified as Daniyal Ashraf and Krishna Mishra, were arrested by the Uttar Pradesh ATS from Barabanki and Gorakhpur, respectively, in the first week of May. Ashraf allegedly photographed the Narpoli police station and filmed a nearby bridge as part of the assignment.

Intelligence Gathering On Police Installations

According to police sources, the suspects were receiving step-by-step instructions from their handlers and were tasked with gathering intelligence on police establishments and security arrangements. Investigators suspect the larger objective was to target police personnel and create instability through planned attacks.

Alleged Links To Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan

The probe has revealed alleged links between the accused and Shahzad Bhatti, who investigators claim is associated with the outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan. Officials also suspect that Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, may have backed the network.

Surveillance Pattern Similar To Earlier Attack

Investigators believe the Bhiwandi reconnaissance follows a pattern seen in earlier attacks allegedly linked to Bhatti's network. Police said similar surveillance was carried out before a grenade attack outside a police station in Gurdaspur in November last year.

In that case, accused Hargunpreet Singh allegedly confessed to carrying out the attack while riding pillion on a motorcycle driven by an associate.

Social Media Used To Recruit Operatives

Investigators said young Indians were allegedly lured through social media with promises of money and the glorification of gangster culture. Recruits were initially assigned reconnaissance tasks and funded to collect information and record videos of sensitive locations.

Bhatti's Name Linked To Multiple Cases

Bhatti's name has surfaced in multiple cases targeting security personnel. He had earlier drawn attention after a video purportedly showing jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi greeting him on Eid went viral.

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