ATS Raids Pimpri-Chinchwad Over Pakistan Gangster Links; Moshi Collapse Spurs Municipal Inquiry
Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad launched simultaneous raids in Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune in July 2026, targeting suspects allegedly connected to Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti. Days earlier, a building in the city's Moshi locality had collapsed, prompting Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi to order a formal inquiry and direct officials to issue notices. The two developments placed Pimpri-Chinchwad at the centre of both law enforcement and civic accountability concerns in mid-July 2026.
🗳️ ATS Strikes Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune in Pakistan Gangster Probe
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) launched simultaneous raids in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad in July 2026, targeting individuals who authorities alleged were linked to Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti. The ATS moved against suspects in both cities at the same time, deploying teams across the adjoining metropolitan area in a coordinated operation. The raids were conducted simultaneously in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, with investigators targeting multiple individuals whose addresses were spread across both cities. Shahzad Bhatti, described as a Pakistani gangster, is the central figure cited by authorities as the alleged nexus of the network under investigation. The Indian news agency IANS reported the operation on July 14, 2026, with the story published through Telangana Today. The simultaneous nature of the raids across two cities suggests that investigators sought to act against multiple suspects at the same time to prevent any individual from being alerted ahead of the operation. Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad, whose mandate covers counter-terrorism and related investigations, led the action in the Pune-Pimpri-Chinchwad region. The operation drew attention to the alleged presence of criminal networks within the twin-city area that authorities believe have connections to individuals based in Pakistan. [2]
🗳️ Municipal Commissioner Orders Inquiry into Moshi Building Collapse
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi ordered an inquiry and directed officials to issue notices related to a building collapse in the Moshi locality of the city, according to ANI reporting dated July 12, 2026. The commissioner, who heads the Pimpri Chinchwad civic administration, personally gave the directive instructing officials to proceed with notice issuance in connection with the Moshi collapse. ANI's reporting confirmed that Suryawanshi had intervened at the municipal level to initiate a formal accountability process following the collapse incident. The direction to issue notices is a formal civic mechanism through which the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation signals its intent to hold accountable any parties whose actions may have contributed to the structural failure. Suryawanshi's intervention placed civic authority at the centre of the administrative response to the Moshi incident, with the Municipal Commissioner acting personally to set the inquiry in motion. The formal inquiry he commissioned is intended to examine the circumstances of the collapse, with his direct involvement elevating the seriousness of the administrative response. The Moshi building collapse that triggered the commissioner's orders placed building safety and civic accountability in Pimpri-Chinchwad under renewed scrutiny. ANI's report on July 12 confirmed that the commissioner's directive had been issued, initiating the formal civic process to investigate and address the Moshi collapse. [7]
🗳️ Building Collapse Traps Multiple Residents in Pimpri Chinchwad
A building collapsed in Pimpri Chinchwad, Maharashtra, on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, with several people feared trapped beneath the rubble as rescue personnel moved rapidly to the scene. ANI reported the incident on July 8, describing a situation in which multiple people were believed to be trapped following the building's structural failure. Rescue personnel were deployed at the collapse site and were photographed at the location in the immediate aftermath, according to ANI's coverage. The building collapse in Pimpri Chinchwad created an emergency requiring a rapid rescue response as authorities worked to reach those trapped inside the debris. ANI's report captured the early stages of the emergency response, with rescue teams visible at the collapsed structure in Pimpri Chinchwad as they worked through the site. The collapse occurred in Pimpri Chinchwad, a major urban centre in Maharashtra bordering Pune, and drew immediate emergency attention from local authorities. With several people confirmed feared trapped inside the debris, rescuers prioritised reaching survivors as quickly as possible following the structural failure. ANI's coverage confirmed both the fact of the collapse and the mobilisation of rescue teams to assist those trapped in the aftermath of the Pimpri Chinchwad building's fall. [9]
Sources: [2] Telangana Today · [7] ANI News · [9] ANI News