Man held for conducting ‘reconnaissance’ of sensitive locations in Mumbai

A 20-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly conducting reconnaissance of sensitive locations in Mumbai, including the Chabad House, a Jewish community centre, on the instructions of international criminal syndicates and anti-national elements, an official said on Saturday (November 14, 2026).

Yash Singh, a resident of Airoli in Navi Mumbai, was initially detained by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) based on inputs regarding his social media contacts with anti-national handlers.

He was subsequently taken into custody by the Keralam police in connection with a case registered in the Thrissur district in the southern state, the official said.

Singh told the police that he was tasked by social media handlers linked to mafia gangs and subversive elements to carry out a recce of sensitive areas of South Mumbai, particularly around Colaba.

“His assignments included photographing and pinpointing the exact locations of the Chabad House, businesses owned by Jewish individuals, and areas frequented by foreign nationals. He received money in exchange for these activities,” the official said.

Chabad House was among the locations targeted by Pakistani terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.

Further investigation established that Singh was allegedly in direct contact with anti-national elements through the messaging platform Telegram, linking him to an accused already arrested in a case registered at the Thrissur East police station in Keralam under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Alerted by the ATS, a team from the Thrissur police arrived in Navi Mumbai and formally placed him under arrest after confirming his direct involvement in the conspiracy, the official said.

According to officials, crime syndicates operating from abroad, such as the Pakistan-based ‘Shahzad Bhatti Network’, have been using platforms like Telegram, Instagram, and WhatsApp to look for unemployed and financially vulnerable youths for reconnaissance and subversive activities.

ATS officials have urged parents and young citizens to remain vigilant, avoid engaging with unknown contacts online, and refrain from sharing photographs or information about sensitive locations for monetary gain.