The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) conducted a major security operation before dawn on Saturday, carrying out simultaneous searches at 15 locations across Parbhani district. The ATS teams seized mobile phones, laptops, and pen drives, which will now undergo forensic examination to determine possible links to extremist activities.
Operation Details
Multiple ATS teams from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, and Nanded, accompanied by officials from central agencies, reached Parbhani district late on Friday night. They identified the homes to be searched and deployed ATS teams backed by local police. The coordinated operation began around 4 am, with ATS teams carrying search warrants knocking on doors. The exercise continued for several hours before concluding in the afternoon.
“Such actions are often undertaken to verify intelligence inputs, assess potential threats and gather information before any further investigative steps are initiated,” said an ATS official coordinating with the teams.
Seizure and Forensic Analysis
Officials stated that although nothing objectionable was found during the searches, the digital devices of 15 individuals were seized as a precautionary measure. These devices will be analyzed to determine whether they were used to access, store, circulate, or promote extremist content or suspicious communications. The forensic scrutiny is expected to focus on digital footprints, communication patterns, and online activities of the users, according to an ATS officer.
“The search was a deterrence action,” a senior ATS official told TOI, elaborating that the operation aimed to prevent and detect activities that could pose a security concern. The official declined to share details regarding the intelligence inputs that led to the operation or the identities of those whose premises were searched.
Local Authorities Surprised
The scale and secrecy of the operation caught even local authorities by surprise. Senior Parbhani police officers said they were not aware of the ATS action until they were approached for security arrangements shortly before the searches commenced. Following the request, a substantial police bandobast was deployed in and around the targeted localities to ensure law and order and facilitate the operation.
Officials said the operation was carried out peacefully, and no law-and-order issues were reported during or after the searches. No official information was available until late Saturday evening regarding what prompted the searches. Further action, officials said, would depend on the outcome of the ongoing examination of the seized devices.
