Just around 50 kilometers from the financial capital of Bharat that is Mumbai, a small village in the Konkan region of Maharashtra grabbed the national media’s attention for all the wrong reasons possible. Located near the national highway, Padhga Boivali is a small village in the Bhivandi region with around 90 percent of the Muslim population.
The village rose to the limelight after around 400 security personnel, including sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided the village on the morning of December 9, which led to startling revelations. According to the information provided by the NIA, the agency in the raid apprehended as many as 15 accused for allegedly promoting terror and terror-related acts and activities of proscribed radical outfit Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
All the arrested accused are associated with the Maharashtra module of the ISIS, which were operating on the directions of the foreign handlers. The accused had also been actively involved in various terrorist activities including fabrication of IEDs for furthering the violent and destructive agenda of the ISIS, as per the NIA’s investigation. `
Alongside arresting the accused, the NIA also seized huge amounts of unaccounted cash (around 68 lakh) 51 flags of terror entity of Palestine (Hamas), firearms, sharp-edged weapons, incriminating documents, and digital devices during the raids.
Further the NIA’s investigation led to the revelation that the accused had self-declared the village of Padhga as a ‘liberated zone’ and as ‘AL Sham’ and were motivating the impressionable Muslim youth to relocate in Padhga from their places of residence for strengthening the Padhga base.
According to NIA, the main accused and the leader of this module is Saquib Abdul Hamid Nachan alias raveesh alias Khalid who was also administering the ‘bayath’ (the oath of allegiance to the Khalifa of ISIS) to the persons joining the proscribed organisation.
According to the reports, Saquib son, Shamil Nachan, was also taken into custody on charges related to the fabrication, training, and testing of explosive devices. The operation extended to the arrest of siblings Razil Abdul Lateef and Rafil Nachan in a substantial crackdown on the terror network. The detainees are believed to be key figures involved in the nefarious activities aimed at orchestrating large-scale attacks using a fleet of drones.
Alert sounded in Mumbai
In order to combat the attack, the security forces imposed section 144 in Mumbai. According to the order, it is likely that terrorists and anti-national elements might make use of drones, paragliders, etc, in their attacks and thereby target VVIPs and endanger the general public.
Meanwhile, the thwarted terror plot underscores the vigilance and efficiency of security agencies in neutralising potential threats to public safety. The NIA’s proactive measures have undoubtedly averted a significant security risk in the bustling metropolis of Mumbai.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities delve into the details of the IS module’s plans and network. The arrests mark a crucial milestone in the fight against terrorism, emphasising the collaborative efforts of intelligence agencies to ensure the safety and security of the nation.
