Maharashtra ATS nabs two for targeting ONGC installation

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) today said it had arrested two persons for allegedly planning to carry out terrorist attacks at an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) installation and two other places in Mumbai.

The men, identified as Abdul Latif alias Guddu, 29, a resident of Bandra, and Riaz Ali alias Rehan, 23, a resident of Dahisar, were arrested from near Matunga railway station in central Mumbai last night.

ATS chief K P Raghuvanshi told reporters in Mumbai that the two men were in touch with someone they called "Uncle", who had asked them to identify targets in the city. The targets identified included an ONGC installation as well as the Thakkar Mall in Borivali mall and the Mangaldas Market in south Mumbai, both crowded places.

According to officials, the duo had been asked to identify some people who could be taken to Pakistan and get their passports and other papers ready. They were also told to "do something big" before leaving for Pakistan.

The officials said the information they had received about the plans to target an ONGC installation and other places had been independently verified by other intelligence sources.

Security had been tightened at ONGC installations as well as all other vital installations around the country after these inputs, sources added.

NNN