Maharashtra ATS arrests Pune techie Zubair Hangargekar for alleged Al-Qaeda links and radicalising youth under UAPA. Photo: X.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Monday arrested a 35-year-old software engineer, Zubair Hangargekar, from Pune’s Kondhwa area for his alleged links with Pakistan-based terror outfit Al-Qaeda and involvement in the radicalisation of youth. The accused was taken into custody early Monday after being under surveillance for nearly a month.
He was produced before a special Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) court, which remanded him to police custody till November 4, officials said.
According to the ATS, Hangargekar’s arrest is part of an ongoing investigation that began after multiple raids were conducted on October 9 across Pune. During those operations, investigators seized 19 laptops and 40 mobile phones for forensic analysis.
Officials said preliminary findings from those searches suggested the existence of a broader terror network involving radicalised individuals.
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A senior ATS officer stated, “Searches at Hangargekar’s residence led to the recovery of incriminating Al-Qaeda literature and digital material used for radicalisation.” The officer added that investigators are now probing whether Hangargekar had direct contact with Al-Qaeda operatives or members of other extremist organisations, and what he intended to do with the material in his possession.
Hangargekar, who works as a software tester and database developer with a Kalyaninagar-based IT firm, hails from Solapur and lives in Pune with his wife and two children.
The ATS has also detained one of Hangargekar’s friends for questioning. The two had recently returned from Chennai, where they attended a social function.
Hangargekar’s arrest comes amid a wider crackdown on radicalisation networks operating in India. Earlier this month, two individuals, Md Adnan Khan alias Abu Muharib (19) from Delhi and Adnan Khan alias Abu Mohammad (20) from Bhopal, were arrested in a case linked to the Islamic State (IS).
Investigations revealed that the duo had been radicalised online and were reporting to a handler based in Syria, highlighting the persistent online influence of global terror groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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