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Mumbai: Two members of a WhatsApp group were arrested following a joint operation by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh police in Thane district on Monday, August 4, on charges of alleged radicalising people and discussing ‘jihad‘ (holy war), officials said.

Based on specific information, Anti-Terrorism Squads (ATSs) of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra police raided a house in Badlapur in the adjoining Thane district and nabbed the duo, a senior official said.

Among the two, one is from Uttar Pradesh, and the other is a Badlapur resident, he said.

According to the official, a WhatsApp group was created for the radicalisation of people for a terror organisation in which terms like ‘jihad‘ were being freely used and discussed.

Some members of the social media group were also connected with Pakistani operatives, he alleged.

After the group’s activities came to light, a case was registered with the UP ATS and one person was arrested. During his interrogation, the names of two more persons cropped up and their location was traced near Mumbai.

Accordingly, the Maharashtra ATS was informed, and in a joint operation with their Uttar Pradesh counterparts, the duo was apprehended, he said.

Both accused were handed over to the UP ATS, which is carrying out further investigation in the case, the official added.