# Maharashtra ATS Nabs Suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed Operative Near Mahim Metro Station in Mumbai

> Acting on intelligence inputs, Maharashtra ATS arrested 33-year-old Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar in Mahim for allegedly propagating extremist propaganda under the guise of delivery work.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Maharashtra · **Published:** 2026-10-24 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/maharashtra/munbai-ke-mahim-se-jaish-e-mohammed-ka-sndigdha-sathi-pakara-gaya-ats-ka-ekshana-51174 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Maharashtra ATS, Jaish e Mohammed, Mumbai Police, Mahim, Counter Terrorism, Telegram Channel, Masood Azhar

In a focused intelligence-led operation, the Kalachowki unit of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad apprehended 33-year-old Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar from Mumbai's Mahim area. Investigators have linked the accused directly to the banned terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed. The arrest took place near the Mahim Metro Station after security officials acted on specific confidential tips. According to the investigating agency, the suspect maintained a carefully crafted public profile, earning a living as a Rapido bike rider and working as a perfume seller, which served as camouflage for his clandestine radicalization activities.

## Using Everyday Work to Circulate Extremist Propaganda
Official findings indicate that the suspect actively exploited multiple social media channels to stoke communal tensions and fuel anti-national sentiments among local contacts. Operating discreetly while ferrying passengers or making perfume deliveries, he allegedly engaged in propagating radical ideologies to susceptible individuals. Forensic analysis of his mobile phone, seized immediately following his detention, uncovered substantial quantities of objectionable and anti-national digital material that he had been systematically circulating across his personal networks.

## Extremist Telegram Networks and Links to Jaish Leadership
A deeper forensic examination of his digital footprint uncovered his management of a dedicated Telegram group. Officials revealed that on June 1, 2026, he uploaded inflammatory audio addresses delivered by Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar. These speeches touched upon contentious topics, including the Babri Masjid, aimed at provoking civil unrest. The investigation also confirmed his active participation in a Pakistan-backed extremist Telegram channel named 'Ibn-e-Qasim.' This development follows a related case from Thane district's Padgha locality, where authorities earlier took a truck driver into custody for downloading and disseminating extremist videos featuring speeches of wanted terrorists.

## Previous Terror Plots and Radicalization Cells in Mumbai
This arrest forms part of an ongoing crackdown against extremist sleeper elements operating in the metropolis. Earlier in April, the Maharashtra ATS intercepted two suspects from Mumbai who were allegedly orchestrating an attack aimed at the national capital, Delhi. Those individuals, identified as Mosab Ahdam alias Kalam Kalyan and Mohammad Hamad Kollara, both residents of Mumbai, were found to be deeply indoctrinated with extremist doctrine and maintained alleged connections with organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Islamic State. Intelligence units revealed they were associated with radical digital clusters such as 'Mission Khilafat' and 'Soldiers of Prophet', where remote handlers subjected them to extensive ideological brainwashing while they attempted to learn bomb-making techniques involving Improvised Explosive Devices.

## What this means for you
The detention of an operative embedded within the city's urban transport ecosystem highlights heightened public security vigilance and stricter monitoring across digital communication channels.

- **Across India:** Law enforcement and intelligence bodies are intensifying digital surveillance on closed communication platforms to intercept clandestine recruitment networks. Citizens are advised to exercise vigilance online and report suspicious propaganda channels directly to cyber crime authorities.
- **In Mumbai:** Routine physical surveillance, spot verification, and security deployment are expected to increase near major transit points and metro stations. Authorities may also enforce stricter background checks and profile verifications for gig economy workers, including bike taxi riders and local delivery agents.

## Why this happened
The arrest was triggered by specific intelligence inputs pointing to an individual using common urban trades to disseminate banned terrorist material.

- **Direct Trigger:** The Kalachowki unit of the ATS received credible actionable intelligence regarding the suspect's movements near Mahim Metro Station and his radical networking activities. Officers set up a perimeter and intercepted him on site.
- **Extremist Propaganda Infrastructure:** Evidence revealed that the accused had circulated incendiary audio recordings of Maulana Masood Azhar on June 1, 2026, through a self-run Telegram group and belonged to the Pakistan-linked 'Ibn-e-Qasim' channel. Anti-national digital media recovered from his mobile confirmed active ideological indoctrination.
- **Preceding Radical Networks:** Earlier cases, such as the detention of a truck driver in Padgha for distributing terrorist videos and the April arrest of two youth learning bomb-making for a planned strike in Delhi, highlighted an active online radicalization module in the region. Investigators are interrogating the suspect to determine if his network intersects with those earlier cells.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS in Mumbai?
The Maharashtra ATS arrested 33-year-old Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar near Mahim Metro Station.

### 2. What profession did the suspect use as a cover?
He worked as a Rapido bike rider and sold perfume as a front while allegedly circulating radical ideology.

### 3. Which terrorist organization is the accused linked to?
Investigators stated that he has links to the banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed.

### 4. What evidence was found regarding his Telegram activity?
He operated a Telegram group where he uploaded provocative speeches of Maulana Masood Azhar on June 1, 2026, and was a member of the 'Ibn-e-Qasim' channel.

### 5. Who were the suspects arrested previously by the ATS in April?
In April, the ATS arrested Mosab Ahdam and Mohammad Hamad Kollara from Mumbai for allegedly planning terror strikes in Delhi.

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