Major Crackdown on Lashkar-e-Taiba: Five Arrested in Jammu and Kashmir
Significant Arrests in Terror Network
In a significant development, a local court in Srinagar has placed five individuals, including two Pakistani nationals and three local accomplices linked to the banned terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), in police custody for ten days, according to official sources.
These arrests were made following the discovery of a well-established interstate LeT module led by the fugitive Pakistani terrorist Abdullah, also known as Abu Hureira, who had evaded capture for 16 years and had set up operations beyond the Union Territory.
Abdullah, along with another Pakistani operative, Usman (alias Khubaib), and three residents of Srinagar—Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid Bhat, and Ghulam Mohammad Mir (alias Mama)—were apprehended on Tuesday.
The five suspects were presented in a local court, which ordered their remand into police custody for a duration of ten days.
Authorities have indicated that several other individuals are being questioned as part of an ongoing investigation aimed at uncovering additional associates, financiers, facilitators, safe houses, and interstate connections.
This operation marks a significant breakthrough in dismantling the LeT network, occurring six months after the disbandment of a 'white-collar' terror cell linked to the Red Fort blast on November 10, 2025.
The operation, initiated on March 31 and overseen by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, has revealed the financial structures supporting the LeT.
The terrorists utilized forged identities and documents to establish a network not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also across various other states.
In recent days, police forces from Srinagar, along with other state and central agencies, conducted searches at 19 locations across Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Haryana.
These raids resulted in the seizure of a substantial cache of weapons, including four AK assault rifles, handguns, grenades, and electronic devices.
The two Pakistani operatives are classified as 'A+' grade militants, having infiltrated India approximately 16 years ago and remained active in various districts of the Kashmir Valley, where they commanded around 40 foreign terrorists, most of whom have since been neutralized.
Authorities recovered forged documents with addresses from other states from Abdullah and Usman, indicating their use of false identities to facilitate movement outside the valley.
Investigations also revealed that one foreign terrorist managed to travel abroad using a valid passport obtained through forged documents.
The unraveling of this extensive network began on March 31 when Naqeeb Bhat was arrested in the Pandach area, found in possession of a pistol and other incriminating evidence.
During interrogation, he admitted to being part of the LeT and procuring arms from another associate, Adil Rashid of Zakoora, while also providing support to foreign terrorists. His disclosures led to the arrests of Mir and Rashid Bhat, both active associates in Srinagar.
The investigation indicates that a foreign terrorist successfully traveled outside the country using forged documents and identities facilitated by the LeT network in other states.
As the investigation progressed, several hideouts were discovered in forested areas surrounding Srinagar.
In a previous operation in November 2025, the Srinagar police uncovered a network of highly educated professionals, primarily doctors, who had been radicalized to engage in terrorist activities.
One of the accused, Dr. Umer-un Nabi from Al Falah University, was implicated in driving the explosives-laden vehicle that detonated outside the Red Fort on November 10, 2025, resulting in numerous fatalities.
He had previously attempted to join terrorist organizations in 2016 and 2018 but was unsuccessful.