Kondhwa: Pune's emerging terror nest
8 Oct 2008, 0344 hrs IST,TNN
PUNE: The arrests of four suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) members from the Kondhwa area of Pune and the revelation that they had used a plush fla
t at Ashoka Mews to fine-tune their plans to send terror emails and hack into WiFi networks has left local residents shocked.
"This is unfortunate. We are feeling insecure. This is giving a bad name to the entire Kondhwa area," said B Nair, a senior citizen who stays in a building near Ashoka Mews, a complex which houses 12 buildings and 28 row houses.
Another resident, Shrilekha Menon, said that she had purchased a flat in Kondhwa three years ago as the area was peaceful then. "But now we are feeling uncomfortable and may shift," she said.
Her fears are not unwarranted. This is the second time in the last couple of months that the police have arrested suspects from Kondhwa for their alleged terror links. On August 16, one of the three youths picked up by the Anti-Terrorism Squad was from Kondhwa. Police have questioned several others in the area.
In August, Pune police commissioner Satyapal Singh had said that the number of suspected Simi activists in the city had increased from 47 to 300. Though Singh had not revealed the pockets and areas from where these activists were thought to operate, police sources said that a majority of them were located in Kondhwa.
"We are concerned by this grouping of Simi activists in one locality. Earlier, they were scattered at Kasewadi, Bhavani Peth and Kondhwa. Now a majority of them have shifted their base to Kondhwa," said a senior police officer.
The officer said that there could be several reasons, including cheaper rentals and, until recently, weaker surveillance.
Speaking to TOI on Monday, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Jalindar Supekar (zone IV) said that two special teams comprising 10 policemen each from the Kondhwa and Hadapsar police stations have been formed to look for suspected Simi activists taking shelter in places like Kondhwa.
The teams, formed three days ago, are headed by senior police inspector R B Gaikar, who is in charge of the Kondhwa police station. The activities of the teams, which started functioning from Sunday evening, will be supervised by Supekar and assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Ramesh Biwal (Wanowrie division).
According to Supekar, the team has been given a special task of identifying suspected Simi activists, keeping a tab on their movements and collecting intelligence.
Biwal confirmed that the Mumbai crime branch and Bangalore police had earlier visited Kondhwa for questioning suspected SIMI activists, but he claimed that the outcome of the interrogation was not known because no information was shared with the city police.
13 comments:
Just because some IM terrorists were living in Khondwa doesn't make it a terrorist hub. Khondwa was a decent place few years back, it has become just like a shithole like any other place in Pune.
The only decent places in Pune worth of human habitation ate Deccan and Bund Garden area. The Punjabi and Gujarati community has screwed up Pune. These guys have Rokda(money), but doesn't know how to live like humans
Pune real estate prices has started cooling down & the builder who were shed away to accept the downturn in market now openly advertising about various freebie & reduced prices. Pimple saudagar now have 1000sqft flat at 28,00,000 which was priced at 40,00,000 just 6 months back. Though builder has cut down some of the amenities the prices has come down by 30%. Park street is now advertising “Ghar tumhra Emi humara” till you get the possession. In Baner the 1000 sq ft flat prices has came down to 40,00,000 which were priced at 50,00,000 . One of my friend recently rented a 1500sqft flat in Zircon Viman nagar for 16,000 after 4 months search for tenant, today the similar flats are available for purchase at 60,00,000 now you can decide buy vs rent !
To lure the customers builders are advertising hard in Navratri.
PBAP (The promoters & Builders Association) exhibition in Oct 1st week proved a grand fiasco.
After getting a threat from builder’s association Magicbricks has changed the price trend chart to some garbage table which only builder can understand.
Shivaji,
I think you should not make comments like North Indians are screwing up Pune. You should think that we are all Indians and constitutionally have the right to stay anywhere in free India.
Maybe you should take a trip abroad and you would feel when you meet Indians outside India, that at least they are from India and not which part of India.
Guys, why we are discussing MNS agenda here ? It is all preparation for coming election. What you & me will get out of that ?
I agree. Lets stick to our goal of discussing the housing issues and not bash people.
Does anyone believe inflation is 12% officially? I think it is more than 20%. I am comparing prices for ordinary items like rice, fruits, autorickshaw fares, medical fees and school fees. Rice in our area has gone up from 22Rs/kg to 30Rs/kg. That is more than a 40% increase. Also, Toor dal has gone up from 45Rs/kg to 60Rs/kg. Fruit prices are also going up by more than 20-30%.
Rents have not gone up much because already they are too high. But auto-rickshaw fares have gone up by at least 30% in Bangalore on average.
How are people going to find money to make those EMI payments when their budget is under stress due to the high inflation? Even I am having trouble, and I am among the so-called upper middle class Indians. I do not eat out much, since a single meal at a semi-decent restaurant is now more than 100Rs, and a coffee at Baristas is now more than 45Rs.
Salaries are basically frozen in the tech industry. With frozen salaries, higher cost of living, and soaring inflation, I see a bleak future for house prices in the future.
The inflation in Mumbai/Pune is about 25% and this figure is only for very essential commodities. Housing is stagnant as there is no demand for new homes.Big companies are shedding their fat. People are getting laid off and no one is hiring new staff. All indication point out to a storm on the horizon. Economic downturn normally leads to law and order situation.
It is high time for people start tightening their belts. I lost all my savings todate in the stock market . I am trying to dispose my apartment but i haven't had a offer in a month
Watch out people
Distressed Soul,
Sorry to hear the bad news. Not one person I know in India has a profit in their stock market investments. The FII's and top brokers have run away with all the hard earned money of the common man.
Which area is your apt located in and what is the going rate there.
Distressed Soul,
Sorry to hear about your story but this is soon going to be the common man's story. When SENSEX goes below 10k(happening soon) and house prices go down substantially, this will become a common story for many people. I would say Sell, Sell, Sell and Cash is King.
Mumbai real estate
Does anyone here know the authenticity of magicbricks, com. This site advertises flats in malad, the price ranging from 7000 to 13000 rs per sq, ft. They also have a price trend graph against each property, invariably booking rate 6000 and current rate 8000.
Is this a con site. How far is the information is reliable on this site
Appreciate any help. I am fairly new to Bombay
Ajay, please read my comment on
"Buy your house - next year!!!" post. Based on regular observations & verification I have added those comments. Do not refer any web site to gauge the price level.
Also guys don't plan any buying activity now, we have not yet reached the bottom of recession. Plan it for next year 3rd quarter. Based on the IMF’s yesterday’s release & the happening here on the wall st. the economy will take around 2yrs for normalcy.
Boon for builder
The Supreme Court order clearing the way for the redevelopment of 19,000 Mumbai buildings thrills builders but leaves citizens shocked.
The question is whether Builders survive current downturn to be in financial position to build all these houses?
Builders will go Belly up.
Standard Chartered is refusing to fund any more building activities and have halted giving money to builders like DLF...
Standard Chartered is also going to go under water.
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