Major Counter-Terror Operation in Kashmir Valley
In a significant development, the Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted coordinated raids at ten different locations across three districts of the Kashmir Valley on Thursday. The operation successfully dismantled what authorities describe as a sophisticated terrorist recruitment module with international connections.
Multi-District Raids Yield Critical Evidence
Acting on warrants issued by the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) judge in Srinagar, CIK teams simultaneously targeted premises in Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Shopian districts. During the searches, investigators seized substantial incriminating materials including multiple digital devices, SIM cards, mobile phones, laptops, and various documents directly relevant to the ongoing investigation.
An FIR has been registered at the CIK police station under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, marking the formal beginning of legal proceedings against those involved in the alleged terror network.
The Bangladesh-Based Handler
According to the detailed CIK statement, the recruitment module was being operated by Shabir Ahmad Lone, a Bangladesh-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist originally from Kangan in Ganderbal district. Lone, who uses multiple aliases including Raju and Zafar Saddique, has been characterized as a "highly radicalized and trained" handler with extensive terrorist experience.
His journey into terrorism began in the late 1990s when he initially served as an overground worker for a terror outfit before formally joining Lashkar-e-Taiba in the early 2000s. He received structured arms training in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir before infiltrating India through the Bangladesh border.
Cross-Border Terror Operations
CIK investigations reveal that Lone remained actively involved in terror-related activities within India, including conspiracy in high-profile attacks, before exfiltrating back to Bangladesh. From his current location, he has been "operating and coordinating terrorist recruitment and network expansion" across the border.
The statement further indicates that Lone maintains close contact with senior leadership of proscribed terrorist organizations and has played a pivotal role in reviving cross-border terror modules. He continues direct operations from Bangladesh "through a network of associates and overground workers" and is currently identified as "the most wanted terrorist operating from a foreign land."
Previous Arrest and Network Disruption
This latest operation follows CIK's earlier arrest of Irfan Ahmad Wani (45) from Heerpura in Shopian district, identified as one of Lone's close associates. Wani had been in continuous contact with Lone and other terrorists based in Pakistan and Afghanistan through encrypted messaging platforms.
He was actively engaged in facilitating recruitment, radicalization, and logistical support at the local level, according to police statements. The current raids appear to have expanded the investigation beyond Wani to dismantle the broader network he was allegedly supporting.
The CIK's coordinated action represents a significant blow to cross-border terror recruitment efforts in the region, uncovering connections that span from Kashmir to Bangladesh and Pakistan-occupied territories. The seizure of digital evidence is expected to provide crucial intelligence about the modus operandi of such recruitment networks and their international linkages.
