Anti-Terrorism Squad Arrests 6 Extremists in Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra

Accusations of Funding Terrorist Organizations

Chiplun, Maharashtra – The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) raided Savarde village in the taluka and arrested 6 Muslims on the evening of October 9. They have been accused of providing funds to terrorist organizations, and a case has been registered against them. During the raid, the ATS seized around 24 tons of Khair wood (market value: ₹10.08 lakhs). The ATS suspects that the money from the illegal sale of this wood was being used to finance terrorism. Those arrested have been identified as Muaj Riyaz Patankar, Asif Rashid Sheikh, Farooq Sherkhan Pathan, Shahanwaz Pyarejan, Irshad Sheikh, and Wasim Akhtar Mukhtar Ahmed Momin.

Maharashtra ATS arrests 6 bigots in Savarde, Ratnagiri district over alleged funding terrorist organisations

👉 The fact that in a small village like Savarde, local Mu$|!m$ are allegedly funding terrorist groups highlights how deeply embedded #terrorist networks have become in… pic.twitter.com/PpOZUa6LmD

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) October 10, 2024

According to the information received,

1. The Anti-Terrorism Squad arrived in the Savarde area two days prior to the raid. They arrested six individuals near the Savarde marketplace and took them to Mumbai for questioning.

2. The suspects are accused of illegally bringing ₹10 lakh worth of Khair wood from Karnataka and storing it in Savarde.

3. Wasim Momin purchased the wood from Karnataka-based trader Shahanwaz Pyarejan. Asif Rashid Sheikh’s truck, driven by Irshad Sheikh, transported the wood to Savarde.

4. It is suspected that Wasim Akhtar Mukhtar Ahmed Momin is in contact with a person linked to the terrorist organization ‘Islamic State.’

5. In July 2023, the ATS arrested Akif Nachan from the ‘Al Sufa Model’ branch of the Islamic State in Madhya Pradesh. Investigations had already revealed his close connection with Wasim Akhtar Mukhtar Ahmed Momin of Islampura, Bhiwandi.

6. Further investigations revealed that Wasim Akhtar Mukhtar Ahmed Momin was involved in the illegal transportation of Khair wood. He earned large amounts of money through this illegal trade and funneled those funds to extremist individuals and organizations engaged in anti-national activities.

Editorial Perspectives

• The fact that Muslims in a small village like Savarde are allegedly funding terrorist organizations suggests that terrorists in India are now operating even in the smallest neighborhoods. Terrorism has reached our doorstep, a dangerous situation for India.

• The government must make strong efforts to root out those supporting terrorists not only from abroad but also within India !

• The local population must remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police.