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Maharashtra

Pune ISIS Module: NIA Arrests Key Operatives After 2-Year International Manhunt

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Mumbai: In a major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested two absconding accused Abdul Fayaz Sheikh and Talha Liyakat Khan who were identified as key members of a sleeper module of the banned terrorist organization ISIS. The arrests are linked to a 2023 case involving the fabrication and testing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Pune, Maharashtra.

The duo, who had fled the country in 2022 to evade arrest, were declared fugitives by the agency. The NIA had announced a cash reward of ₹3 lakh each for information leading to their capture. Acting on intelligence inputs, the Bureau of Immigration intercepted the accused at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Terminal 2) when they arrived from Jakarta, Indonesia, where they had been hiding. They were immediately taken into custody by the NIA team and are expected to be produced before a special NIA court shortly.  

According to investigators, the duo had meticulously planned their escape after the ISIS module operating out of Pune was busted in 2022. That crackdown led to multiple arrests, including that of Shamil Nachan, son of convicted terrorist Saquib Nachan, who had been designated the Amir-e-Hind (chief of ISIS in India).  

Sources revealed that both accused fled along with their families. Talha Khan’s wife and infant daughter left for Oman on May 2, 2022, followed by Khan himself on August 12. Likewise, Fayaz Sheikh’s wife and two children departed for Oman on June 12, while Sheikh left on July 15. Their coordinated flight with their families complicated the investigation and necessitated sustained diplomatic and intelligence cooperation with foreign agencies.  

The NIA sources stated that both Sheikh and Khan were radicalized and were working under the instructions of the Ratlam-based ISIS module “Al Sufa,” led by arrested mastermind Imran Khan. Acting on his direction, the duo played a key role in organizing a secret IED workshop in Pune and inviting other ISIS operatives to participate.  

The accused were actively involved in propagating the violent and extremist ideology of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and engaged in preparatory acts of terrorist violence, including recruiting individuals to the organization. They had also pledged allegiance (Bayat) to the self-styled Khalifa (leader) of ISIS.

According to the NIA, both Abdul Fayaz Sheikh and Talha Liyakat Khan, along with eight other members of the ISIS Pune sleeper module who are already under arrest and in judicial custody, had conspired to carry out terrorist acts aimed at disturbing India’s peace and communal harmony. The agency stated that the group intended to wage war against the Government of India in pursuit of ISIS’s radical objective of establishing Islamic rule in the country through violence and terror.

According to the NIA chargesheet, the investigation into the ISIS Pune terror module uncovered a secret workshop for the fabrication, creation, and testing of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) held at a shop owned by accused Fayaz Sheikh. Sheikh, widely known as “Diaperwala” for running a diaper store in Pune’s Kondhwa area, hosted the clandestine session in April 2022.All members of the Pune ISIS terror module including arrested accused Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Simab Nasiruddin Kazi, and Abdul Kadir Pathan, among others reportedly participated in the workshop.   

Arrested accused Shamil Nachan and Akif Nachan traveled to Pune carrying explosive chemicals and processed powder to participate in the IED manufacturing and training exercise. The duo stayed overnight at Sheikh’s residence along with the explosive materials during their visit.  

Another suspected absconding accused, Talha Liyakat Khan, is also a resident of Pune and is associated with Fayaz Sheikh (Diaperwala). He too is believed to be a participant in the ISIS Maharashtra terror module and played a major role in organizing the IED workshop.

According to reliable sources, both Fayaz Sheikh and Talha Liyakat Khan were radicalized and, under the instructions of the Ratlam-based ISIS terror module, “Al Sufa,” mastermind and arrested accused Imran Khan arranged the IED workshop and invited other terror suspects to participate. Once intelligence confirmed their presence in Oman, the NIA initiated extradition proceedings through the Ministry of External Affairs, sharing all necessary documentation and case files with Omani authorities. Officials believe that their custody and interrogation will help unravel the full extent of the ISIS-linked network and the group’s operational plans in Maharashtra and beyond.  

The case forms part of a broader investigation into ISIS modules operating in India, with several arrests already made and multiple digital devices, explosive materials, and radical literature seized during raids. 

Maharashtra

Attention Thanekars! Night Traffic Closures On Kalyan–Shil Road Till March 31; Vehicles To Be Diverted At Key Points

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Thane: The Thane City Traffic Police has announced temporary night traffic closures on stretches of Kalyan–Shil Road to facilitate the installation of cement girders for the upcoming Mumbai Metro Line 12 (Kalyan–Taloja) project. The restrictions will remain in force from March 6 to March 31, 2026, between 11:55 PM and 5:00 AM, officials said.

According to a traffic control notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Thane City, the girder installation work will be carried out on the stretch between Manpada Circle and Tata Naka, where metro construction activity is currently underway. Large cement girders will be installed using heavy gantry equipment, requiring temporary road closures and traffic diversions to ensure the safety of commuters and workers at the site.

During the notified period, vehicles travelling from Shilphata towards Kalyan via Kalyan–Shil Road will face phased entry closures at specific locations.

From March 6 to March 10, traffic coming from Shilphata towards Kalyan will be closed at Sonarpada near Pillar No. 180. Vehicles will be diverted left onto the service road and will continue towards their destination via DNS Chowk.

Between March 11 and March 18, the entry will be closed near Vikonaka at Pillar No. 105. Vehicles will take a left turn from Vikonaka Pillar No. 105 and proceed along the service road and from Pillar No. 67 Tata Naka, it will proceed to the desired destination.

From March 19 to March 25, vehicles heading towards Kalyan will be restricted at Manpada Chowk near Pillar No. 200 and can take a left turn and proceed along the service road and from Pillar No. 180 Sonarpada, it will proceed to the desired destination.

Finally, between March 26 and March 31, traffic will be closed at Sonarpada near Pillar No. 164, with vehicles diverted through the service road and allowed to merge back near DNS Chowk.

The traffic police have urged motorists travelling late at night to follow the diversions and use alternative routes wherever possible to avoid inconvenience.

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Crime

Mumbai Police Crack Down On Topaz Bar: Manager Booked For Licence Violations In Late-Night Raid

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Mumbai: The Crime Branch Unit 3 of the Mumbai Police conducted a late-night raid at an orchestra bar in South Mumbai and registered an FIR against the establishment’s manager for allegedly violating licence conditions.

According to officials, the action was taken at Topaz Bar and Restaurant located under the jurisdiction of DB Marg Police Station. An FIR  has been registered under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Police said that at around 11:55 pm on March 6, a team from Crime Branch Unit 3 carried out a raid at the bar in the presence of panch witnesses. During the inspection, officers found that the bar manager had allegedly violated the terms and conditions of the licence issued by the government for operating the bar establishment.

Following the raid, the manager, identified as Vipin Kumar Santosh Singh (43), a resident of Rashmi Star City, Naigaon East, was booked. He was later handed over to the DB Marg Police Station for further legal action.

The raid was conducted by a team comprising Senior Police Inspector Yerekar, API Deshmukh, PSI Trupti Patil, Head Constable Palande, Constable Patil, and driver Dhayigade. Further investigation is underway.

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Crime

Thane: Shots Fired Outside Businessman-Influencer Baba Khan’s Residence In Mumbra Early Saturday Morning; One Arrested, Second Accused Absconding

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Mumbai: Panic gripped residents of a housing society in Mumbra’s Kausa area after unidentified miscreants allegedly opened fire outside the residence of businessman and social media influencer Nadeem Moinuddin Khan (Alias: Baba Khan), early on Saturday morning. Police have arrested one accused in connection with the incident, while another suspect is absconding.

The firing took place in the early hours of March 7, when two individuals allegedly fired shots at his car and in the air to create panic. The Mumbra Police were immediately alerted about the same and reached the spot.

During the chase that followed, police managed to apprehend Shahabad alias Shambhu Munna Shamshad Qureshi (28) on the streets of Shil Daighar. Officials said Qureshi allegedly fired additional rounds while attempting to evade arrest. Two bystanders sustained injuries during this pursuit and were later provided medical treatment. The second accused, who was involved in the initial firing incident, remains on the run, and a search operation is currently underway.

Meanwhile, a video shared by Khan on social media soon after the incident has gone viral. In the clip, the influencer is seen expressing anger over the attack. He also shows several bullet shells lying on the ground.

Visuals in the video further show a car parked near the building with visible damage, including a cracked rear windshield and impact marks on the rear portion of the vehicle, allegedly caused by the firing.

Khan also claims in the video that he had previously received threats and had informed the Mumbra Police about the matter earlier. According to him, his concerns were not taken seriously at the time. He alleged that despite alerting the authorities earlier, the accused still managed to reach his residence and carry out the attack.

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