Mumbai Police launched a probe after receiving a message threatening a ‘26/11 style’ terror attack from a Pakistan-based number.
The threat message was allegedly sent from a Pakistan-based phone number and states that six people will execute the plan in India. The sender of the message said that his current location can be traced to Pakistan.
“Threat message sent to Mumbai Police from Pakistani number is registered in the name of Muhammad Imtiaz, resident of 28 Mohala Aziz Colony, Wendalah Road, Shahdra, Lahore. Total four numbers are linked with this person,” said Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar at a media briefing.
He said the police force is alert on coastal security and coordinating with the Coast Guard.
Mumbai Police has launched an investigation into the matter. Other agencies have also been informed about the threat message, sources said.
“We have taken the case of the threat message (26/11-like terrorist attack on Mumbai) very seriously. Agencies have been informed of all measures to investigate the threat matter,” Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said.
Local police officials as well as the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) soon reached the spot and started probing the origin of the boat. A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team was also deployed to the spot.
Investigation revealed that the boat belonged to an Australian woman whose husband was its captain. Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said the vessel was on way to Europe from Muscat in June when it drifted to inclement weather. The Australian couple abandoned it after engine trouble, he added.
According to officials, the crew members of this boat had been rescued in June this year near the Oman coast.
It later drifted and grounded ashore, a Coast Guard official said. Some locals spotted the boat, having no crew member, in Shrivardhan area of Maharashtra’s Raigad district, and alerted security agencies.
Officials ascertained that the boat posed no security threat, though it remained unclear why it was carrying the weapons. Maharashtra ATS registered a case against unidentified persons under the Arms Act.
