Pune man linked to Al-Qaeda, tried to radicalize youth: ATS

India Oct 29, 2025

Zubair Hangargekar, a 33-year-old software engineer from Pune, was arrested last Monday by Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for suspected links to Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda.
Authorities believe he may have tried to radicalize young people.
His arrest followed nearly a month of surveillance.

Accused in police custody until November 4

Hangargekar, who works as a software tester in Kalyani Nagar, was picked up at Pune Railway Station while returning from an event in Chennai.
The ATS had earlier raided locations across Pune on October 9, seizing 19 laptops and 40 phones for forensic checks.
He's now in police custody until November 4 as investigators look into his connections and question his associates about a possible wider network.