J&K Police Dismantle Major Inter‑State Lashkar‑e‑Taiba Network
What are you doing? In a major breakthrough in the fight against terrorism, the Jammu and Kashmir Police busted a major inter-state Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) module, resulting in the arrest of five persons, including two Pakistani nationals who managed to elude security agencies for nearly 16 years.
Among those arrested is Abdullah, also known as Abu Hureira, a high-value LeT operative who infiltrated India more than fifteen years ago and later established bases and support structures outside the Union Territory. Another Pakistani national, Usman alias Khubaib, was also arrested during the coordinated operation involving J&K Police and central agencies working in multiple states, officials said here on Tuesday.
The arrests were made following extensive searches at 19 locations spread across J&K, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. Investigators seized a significant quantity of weapons, including four AK series rifles, one AK-Krinkov, pistols, grenades, and a large amount of incriminating digital and documentary material. Authorities described the network as “well-established” and said it provided logistical, financial and shelter support to LeT terrorists operating in the region. “The investigation also shed light on the terrorist organization’s financing patterns and its use of forged documents to facilitate movement between states and even outside the country,” they said.
Three residents of Srinagar – Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid Bhat and Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Mama – were among those arrested for allegedly providing food, shelter and other logistical support to foreign militants. The investigation began to unravel on March 31, when Naqeeb Bhat was arrested along with a pistol and other incriminating items in Pandach district. His inquiry led police to other local partners and uncovered a wider network of facilitators based throughout the Valley and beyond.
According to officials, Abdullah and Usman infiltrated India about 16 years ago and remained active in many parts of the Kashmir Valley. Over the years, they have managed and commanded nearly 40 foreign militants, most of whom were neutralized by security forces. Their long-term presence in India was made possible by a sophisticated support system that helped them obtain fake identity documents, set up safe houses and maintain operational secrecy. Investigators believe that at least one foreign militant managed to smuggle out of India using forged documents issued through LeT’s interstate network.
The fact that the operation was personally supervised by J&K Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat reflected the high-risk nature and strategic importance of the case. During the investigation, many hideouts were uncovered in the forest areas around Srinagar, further revealing the extent of the terror infrastructure. More arrests are likely as efforts continue to identify additional associates, financiers, facilitators and safe houses linked to the module, officials said.
This crackdown comes six months after police dismantled the “white-collar” LeT module centered around Faridabad’s Al Falah University, where highly educated individuals, including doctors, were radicalized and recruited. The earlier operation was carried out by Dr, who drove an explosives-laden vehicle in front of Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10 and carried out the explosion that killed more than a dozen people. He revealed that Umer-un-Nabi was involved in the incident. His case highlighted the evolving nature of terrorist recruitment and the increasing use of trained agents in complex conspiracies.
The latest arrests mark a major success in the ongoing campaign to dismantle LeT’s operational and support networks across India. While it was stated that the investigations were continuing, the authorities stated that more details would be shared when the operation reached its final stage.
Reacting to the busting of the terror module by the J&K Police, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the repeated emergence of such networks raises serious questions about their origins and infiltration routes.
Speaking to reporters in Jammu, Abdullah said, “It is good that he was caught. But besides this, the question arises: where did they come from and why? We have been told time and time again that terrorism is over, there is no trace left. However, such modules continue to be unearthed and terrorists infiltrating from across the border are being detected.”
Reacting to the words of Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Abdullah rejected the allegations, saying, “Not even a year has passed since Operation Sindoor.”
“Forget Kolkata, they could barely reach Jammu. Even here they did not cause any significant damage and could not come close to the country’s capital. I think the idea of reaching Kolkata should be abandoned,” he said.
