Delhi Police Apprehends High-Ranking Lashkar Commander in Major Counter-Terror Operation
In a significant breakthrough, the Delhi Police special cell has arrested Shabbir Ahmed Lone, a most-wanted commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist organization, following an intensive month-long operation. The arrest, which occurred on Sunday night, is seen as a critical blow to a revived cross-border terror pipeline orchestrated from Bangladesh.
Mastermind Behind Revived Terror Module
Lone, also known by the alias Raja Kashmiri, had allegedly established a Lashkar cell in Bangladesh under the directions of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). His network was actively involved in radicalizing Indian and Bangladeshi youth to carry out terror attacks. This arrest effectively severs a key link in the terror infrastructure that had been reactivated from across the border.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwaha revealed that Lone was the mastermind behind a recently busted terror module. In that case, eight operatives, including seven Bangladeshi nationals, were arrested. These recruits were tasked with pasting anti-national posters in Delhi as a test assignment ahead of an AI summit, marking their initial foray into subversive activities.
Sophisticated Operational Tactics Uncovered
According to police investigations, the recruits established a base in Kolkata, completed their poster-pasting task in Delhi, and then flew back. However, their movements enabled authorities to identify and apprehend them last month. Rattled by these arrests, Lone was instructed by his Pakistan-based handlers to re-enter India, intensify recruitment efforts, and meet with assets to plan an attack.
The arrested recruits had allegedly conducted reconnaissance of high-profile targets, including the Kalkaji temple and Gauri Shankar temple in Chandni Chowk. Acting on precise intelligence regarding Lone's movements, a special team led by DCP Praveen Tripathi and Inspector Sunil Rajain, in coordination with central agencies, intercepted him in Ghazipur and took him into custody.
Cross-Border Movements and Evidence Seized
Police disclosed that the high-ranking LeT handler had crossed over to Nepal and entered India through the open border. During the arrest, authorities seized his mobile handset, a Nepali SIM card, and a variety of foreign currencies. This included 2,300 Bangladeshi taka, 5,000 Pakistani rupees, and 1,400 Nepalese rupees, alongside Indian currency, indicating the transnational nature of his operations.
Detailed Interrogation Reveals Network Structure
Interrogation has uncovered a sophisticated operational structure. Under the directions of Sumama Babar, Lone managed the distribution of anti-national posters in Delhi and Kolkata to test the capabilities of new recruits. The posters featured pro-Pakistan slogans, inflammatory messages about Kashmir, images of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani, and Urdu text declaring We are Pakistanis, Pakistan is ours, with a mention of Kashmir Solidarity Day observed in Pakistan.
The recruits recorded videos of their activities and sent them to Lone, who praised them in chats and instructed them to proceed to the next stage. Module members, including Malda-based Umar Farukh and several Bangladeshi nationals staying illegally in India, then conducted reconnaissance of high-footfall commercial and religious sites. A local operational base was established in Kolkata's Hatiara area to facilitate these activities.
Past Arrests and Current Legal Proceedings
Lone, who was previously arrested in 2007 in Delhi and in 2016 in Jammu and Kashmir, is currently in a five-day police remand. Authorities are interrogating him about the ISI's setup in Bangladesh. Police informed the court that he is a convicted terrorist, and his custodial interrogation is essential to dismantle the remaining network, trace operation handlers, and identify dealers of foreign currency.
Accomplices and Recruitment Strategies
Police have also identified Lone's accomplice, Saidul Islam, a Bangladeshi national who facilitated his illegal entry into Bangladesh and arranged logistics and hideouts. Islam served as the primary link, providing details of a Tamil Nadu-based group to Lone and Umar Faruq, who was arrested earlier.
Lone first indoctrinated Faruq and appointed him to spearhead LeT operations within India. His strategy involved using Bangladeshi nationals who could blend into the local population by assuming Indian identities, thereby evading the scrutiny typically applied to known Kashmiri or Pakistani operatives. Initial recruitment targeted illegal immigrants working in the garment industry, offering money and promises of a better life to bring others onboard.
This arrest marks a pivotal moment in counter-terror efforts, highlighting the persistent threats from cross-border networks and the ongoing vigilance required to safeguard national security.
