A 20-year-old man from Navi Mumbai has been arrested for allegedly carrying out reconnaissance of Nariman House in Mumbai, one of the targets of the 26/11 terror attacks, on the instructions of handlers based abroad.
The accused has been identified as Yash Singh, a resident of Airoli in Navi Mumbai. Police say he was photographing Jewish-owned businesses and other sensitive locations in South Mumbai, particularly around Colaba, and sending the details to his handlers.
According to police, Singh was asked to map the exact locations of the Chabad House — Nariman House — along with businesses owned by Jewish citizens and places frequented by foreign nationals. He allegedly collected photographs, vehicle details and precise location information, and received money in exchange.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) first detained Singh after receiving information about his contacts with suspected anti-national handlers through social media. During the investigation, police found a link between his activities and a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) at the Thrissur East police station in Kerala.
A team from the Kerala Police then travelled to Navi Mumbai and took Singh into custody. Officials say he was in contact with his handlers through Telegram and other social media platforms, and that foreign-based criminal networks, including the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network, are under the scanner for allegedly recruiting vulnerable youngsters online.
01. Why Nariman House matters
Nariman House, also known as the Chabad House, is a five-storey Jewish community centre at 5 Hormusji Street in Colaba. It was one of the sites attacked during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008, when six people were killed inside the building. In all, 166 people were killed across Mumbai in the attacks.
Police say the investigation is continuing, including into who paid Singh and how the information he collected was passed on. No further details about the handlers have been officially released.
