Interrogations of Jaish-e-Mohammad militant Atiq Ahmed has revealed that the Bombay Stock Exchange, the hub of all commercial activity, has figured prominently as a key target for militant attack.

The extremists were once again zeroing in on the BSE, which had in 1993 been the prime attack of militants, a senior police official of the Thane police told PTI on Friday.

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They were expecting a huge consignment of explosives to arrive in Mira-Bhayandar area in adjacent Thane district," the official said.

"The militants were planning a huge explosion and we were fortunate to have averted the tragedy for the second time," he added.

Ahmed, who was arrested from Bulandshahr recently, had rented the flat for the past four months and had paid a huge amount for the same.

He said Mira-Bhayandar area was an unplanned one and it was difficult to track down nefarious activities.

"We have however, launched a massive combing operation and have tightened vigil in the area," he said.

The police had also convened a meeting with all estate agents and warned them that no flats could be rented out without prior information to the police.

"We have made it mandatory for anyone renting out flats  to first obtain police permission," the official said.