A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative, allegedly tasked with coordinating terror activities from Bangladesh, has been apprehended near the Delhi-Ghazipur border, according to official reports released by Indian authorities on Monday.
The suspect, identified as Shabbir Ahmad Lone, also known by the aliases Raja and Kashmiri, is a resident of Kangan in the Srinagar district of Jammu and Kashmir. He was arrested on 29 March by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell (NDR) in a coordinated effort with central intelligence agencies.
Bangladesh-Nepal transit Intelligence inputs suggest that Lone had been stationed in Bangladesh, where he was allegedly overseeing anti-India operations under the direction of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), reports India Today.
Indian investigators stated that he recently infiltrated India through the Nepal border after crossing illegally from Bangladesh.
Lone was reportedly acting on instructions from Pakistan-based handlers, identified by the codenames Abu Huzaifa, Sumama Babar, and Abdul Rehman, to recruit operatives on Indian soil.
Court proceedings and allegations
Following his arrest, Lone was produced before the Patiala House court. The Delhi Police have sought five days of custodial interrogation to dismantle the broader network and identify local handlers.
While the court has reserved its order on the police custody, it directed that Lone be provided with legal aid counsel and that his family be informed of the grounds for his arrest via WhatsApp.
Police informed the court that Lone’s activities included the placement of provocative posters in sensitive areas of Delhi, such as near the Supreme Court, and conducting reconnaissance of various religious sites.
Investigators have flagged a sophisticated cross-border funding mechanism involving Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
Links to top leadership
Lone is described as a veteran militant who received both basic (Daura-e-Aam) and advanced (Daura-e-Khaas) training at a facility in Muzaffarabad. His association with Lashkar leadership reportedly spans nearly two decades.
He was previously arrested by the Special Cell in 2007 in possession of an AK-47 rifle and grenades. Following a conviction, he was incarcerated in Tihar Jail until 2018. After his release on bail, he allegedly moved to Bangladesh to reconstruct Lashkar’s operational infrastructure.
Wider investigation underway
The probe has also highlighted the role of a Pakistan-based handler known as Sumama, alias Illyas or Babar, who is currently wanted for radicalising youth in Jammu and Kashmir through encrypted messaging services.
A reward of Rs3 lakh has been offered for information leading to his capture.
Authorities are currently interrogating Lone to map out recruitment channels and potential targets, noting that the case reveals a coordinated structure involving Pakistani handlers, operational bases in Bangladesh, and execution cells within India.
Local authorities ‘unaware’
When contacted by TIMES of Bangladesh regarding the arrest of LeT operative in Delhi, Bangladesh Police officials stated they were not aware of the matter.
Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) chief Additional Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Rezaul Karim, and Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit chief Additional Commissioner of Police Md Masud Karim both avoided commenting the matter.
