Maharashtra ATS Targets Suspected ISI-Linked Online Radicalisation Network

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) launched a coordinated statewide operation on Friday against an alleged network financed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) that is suspected of radicalising and recruiting Indian youth through social media platforms.

According to ATS officials, the operation targets individuals linked to Pakistan-based gangsters including Shahzad Bhatti, Amjal Gujjar, and others, who are alleged to be using social media to identify and recruit vulnerable youth in India under ISI direction. The ATS has identified over 200 people from cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Ratnagiri, and elsewhere who are suspected of having engaged with these accounts.

As part of the operation, ATS teams are conducting raids and questioning the identified individuals, issuing warnings to prevent their exploitation for anti-national activities. A senior officer stated that the raids will continue for several days.

This is not the first such action; in May, the ATS raided around 40 locations across the state and questioned over 55 individuals who had allegedly interacted with accounts linked to Bhatti's network. No formal cases were registered then, but mobile phones were seized for investigation.

The ATS alleges that the social media accounts operated by Pakistani handlers seek out individuals expressing discontent with Indian authorities or events. Those initially given small tasks may later be indoctrinated for larger operations that could create law-and-order problems, posing a broader security threat.

Separately, the Delhi Police Special Cell in May arrested several individuals from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir for alleged links to Bhatti's network, claiming they planned attacks on a historic Delhi temple, a military installation in Haryana, and drone drops of drugs and weapons in Punjab. In March 2024, Bhatti was also allegedly involved in a grenade attack near the residence of YouTuber Rozer Sandhu in Jalandhar.

Officials have also alleged that Bhatti had ties with a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who is accused in the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique in October 2024. However, these connections remain under investigation and have not been confirmed in court.