Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Maharashtra ATS Detains Five Youths Over Anti-India Social Media Posts
There is a special police team in India called the ATS, which stands for Anti-Terrorism Squad.
This team took five young people for questioning and to answer their questions.
The police wanted to ask them about things they wrote on the internet.
Some of the posts were about India, and the police thought the posts were unkind and could cause trouble.
One post said something like: it is very dangerous to live in India right now, and Pakistan is better.
The young people were part of a private chat group on an app called Telegram and other internet groups.
Police took their phones and other devices to check them carefully.
One of the five young people was already asked questions last month by another police team called the NIA.
After asking their questions, the police let the young people go home but asked them to come back the next day.
The police are not sure yet if the young people did anything wrong, and they are still checking.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) took five youths from Mumbra and Padgha in Thane district and Palghar district for questioning over alleged anti-India and provocative social media posts.
The articles differ on some details: one report also names Mumbai's Malad and Parel and says the youths were not linked to one another but separately active across various platforms.
The ATS seized mobile phones and other digital devices for forensic examination and said the five were allegedly associated since 2022 with a Telegram group and other anti-establishment platforms.
The reports differ on who ran the platforms: one says the Telegram group was allegedly operated by a person from Kashmir, while the other says some platforms were allegedly operated by persons based outside India.
One of the youths was questioned last month by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) over an alleged radicalisation network in Andhra Pradesh; after Tuesday's questioning all five were released and asked to appear again on Wednesday.
- Who
- The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and five youths from Mumbra, Padgha (Thane) and Palghar; one report also names Mumbai's Malad and Parel.
- What
- Detained the youths for questioning over alleged anti-India and provocative social media posts and their suspected online associations.
- When
- On Tuesday, when all five were questioned, then released and asked to return on Wednesday; one youth was also questioned by the NIA last month.
- Where
- Thane and Palghar districts of Maharashtra, India; one NIA questioning took place at the Thane ATS office.
- Why
- Over alleged anti-India and provocative posts, including a message stating it is very dangerous to live in India and that Pakistan is better.
- Investigating agency
- Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS)
- Youths taken for questioning
- Five, from Mumbra and Padgha in Thane district and Palghar district (one report also lists Malad and Parel)
- Alleged association
- With a Telegram group and other anti-establishment platforms since 2022
- Operator discrepancy
- One report: Telegram group allegedly run by a person from Kashmir; other report: some platforms allegedly operated by persons based outside India
- Flagged post
- "Bharat mein iss samay rehna bahut khatra hai, isse achha Pakistan hai" (It is very dangerous to live in India at present; Pakistan is better than this)
- Devices seized
- Mobile phones and other digital devices, sent for forensic examination
- NIA link
- One youth questioned last month over an alleged radicalisation network in Andhra Pradesh; questioned at the Thane ATS office
- Status
- Preliminary stage; five released after Tuesday's questioning and asked to appear again on Wednesday
