Two suspected LeT militants nabbed in Thane

MUMBAI - Maharashtra Police’s Anti-Terrorist Squad has nabbed two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives from a mall in Thane city, a senior official said Monday.

The arrests of the duo - both from Jammu and Kashmir - were made Nov 15 from the mall near Kapurbawdi area of the city, ATS chief Rakesh Maria said here.

The two, posing as oil tanker drivers, had carried out a recce of several sites they had allegedly targeted in and around Mumbai, including an oil installation and a railway terminus in the city, he said.

They were also trying to recruit members for the LeT and seeking details of various sensitive installations in the state, besides in Rajasthan and Gujarat, under instructions from their handlers in Jammu and Kashmir, Maria added.

The two has been identified as Sharee Makhandeen Thakar, 33, and Mohammed Ishaq M. Rasheed Kumlakh, 29. The ATS also recovered two imported Tokarev pistols and 13 live cartridges from them, the ATS chief said.

The duo was presented before a magistrate Nov 21 and have been remanded to police custody till Dec 2, Maria said.