The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has revealed that Pune-based software engineer Zubair Hangargekar, 37, arrested on October 27, had links with the al-Qaeda terror group and preached to youth that “democracy is against Sharia” and created content on topics including jihad and “taking over the Indian continent Ghazwa-eH Ghazwa-eH”.
According to the ATS, Zubair created “extremist content” and shared radical material on Ghazwa-e-Hind, establishment of Khilafat and implementation of Shariat in his own Telegram groups comprising youth and like-minded individuals. The ATS emphasized that these youths discussed replacing democracy with Sharia and abolishing national borders by working for a “united global ummah”.
A senior ATS officer from Pune said, “Dars’ secret sessions were conducted in Pune, Solapur and Thane to radicalise the youth. During these sessions, he lectured them on ‘ways to commit Jihad’ and the way to bring Khilafat.”
Zubair, who holds a BE degree from Walchand Institute of Technology, Solapur, was arrested from Pune’s Kondhwa area during ATS raids in October for his alleged links with al-Qaeda. During the raid, 18 people were searched, and their devices were sent for forensic examination. Zubair was arrested on 27 October and remanded in judicial custody till 28 November.
Magazines confiscated
During the investigation, police seized several al-Qaeda and AQIS magazines and manuals from his laptop and mobile phone that glorified jihad and martyrdom through jihad. “These magazines openly exhort readers to establish Khilafat rule in India through violent jihad. He read content created by radical preachers from the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan and studied in depth major al-Qaeda attacks, including the 9/11 attack,” said an ATS officer in Pune.
According to the ATS, he had a 15-year career as a software engineer and turned to extremism around 2015 when he came in contact with known individuals linked to terrorism in Pune and Hyderabad.
Published – 17 Nov 2025 21:28 IST
