ANTITERRORISM SQUAD MAKES MORE SEIZURES

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) on Saturday seized more arms and ammunition, parts for making countrymade revolvers from the trio arrested on Friday for allegedly plotting terror activities at Mumbai, Pune, Satara and Solapur.

The ATS on Saturday seized 11 country-made pistols with magazines, an air gun, ten pistol barrels and several other parts that are used to make country-made arms and ammunition. ATS on Friday raided residence and shop at Nallasopara belonging to one of the arrested accused, Vaibhav Raut, and recovered 20 crude bombs and around 15 detonators and other materials used to prepare bombs.

ATS claimed Raut to be a member of Sanatan Sanstha, a rightwing Hindu group. Sharad Kasalkar, 25, was also arrested along with Raut and police recovered a note on making bombs from him. Third accused, Sudhanva Ghondhalekar was arrested from Pune for purportedly training the two in assembling bombs. The trio were produced before the sessions court on Friday and have been remanded in police custody till August 18. According to an officer of ATS, during questioning, Ghondhalekar revealed information about a stock of illegal weapons and other material. A police team then conducted search. ATS has slapped stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the trio, apart from regular provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act and the Explosives Act.

ATS officials said they have been questioning some other people in connection with the case, suspecting link with the arrested trio. “We are now inquiring with the trio to find out propose behind assembling bombs and storing such a big stock of arms. It clearly seems that they were coordinating with each other and planning some terror activities”, added the ATS official.