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Thane: The Thane city police commissioner's website was allegedly hacked on Tuesday at around 4 am. A message directed to the GoI appeared on the hacked website demanding an 'apology to Muslims' amidst multiple incidents of violence across the country over the Prophet row. Maharashtra Cyber Cell ADG Madhukar Pandey informed that more than 500 websites were hacked in a similar manner.

The message further read that 'we don't stand still when our apostle is insulted.'

"Hacked by one hat cyber team. Hello Indian Government, Hello everyone. Again and again, you make trouble with the problem of the Islamic Religion. Hurry up and apologize to Muslims all over the world!! We don't stand still when our apostle is insulted," the message that appeared on the hacked website read.

The website, however, was restored later in the day, Sunil Lokhande, DCP, Cyber Cell, Thane Police noted.

"The website of Thane Police was hacked today in the morning at around 4 am. The investigation was done by the cyber team. Technical experts recovered the data & website has been restored. Further probe underway," Sunil Lokhande said.

Maharashtra Cyber Cell ADG Madhukar Pandey noted that out of the 500 websites were hacked, some were restored and a probe into the same has also begun. "We have restored several websites, and many more are yet to be done. More than 70 websites have been attacked, of which 3 are govt ones followed by private university websites. Hacked websites are more than 500," Madhukar Pandey noted.

ADG Pandey further noted that 'amid the ongoing communal tensions, many cyber hackers have united and hacked many websites in country.' "Due to ongoing communal tensions in country, many cyber hackers have united & hacked many websites in country. Names of 2 countries Malaysia & Indonesia are surfacing. We've not got any information about whether this gang is operating in India or not," he said.

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil also noted that several websites across the country were hacked in the past two days and similar messages appeared afterwards.

"Several websites across the country have been hacked in past 2 days & similar messages have been posted. Cyber Police is probing. ADG Madhukar Pandey is probing this," the Maharashtra minister said.