Suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed Member Arrested in West Bengal

Arrest of Suspected Terrorist in Burdwan

A suspected member of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has been apprehended in the Burdwan district of West Bengal. According to police sources, investigative agencies are probing potential links he may have with a larger terrorist network. The Special Task Force (STF) of the state police arrested Hamid Mandal late Thursday night from a rented flat in a residential complex in Burdwan city.

Reports indicate that Mandal had been residing in the flat for the past two to three months to evade law enforcement agencies. Evidence obtained from his mobile phone and other documents suggests he was gathering information related to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Consequently, investigators are also trying to determine if he was planning any attacks.

Authorities suspect Mandal's connections to the Pakistan-based banned terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed. He is believed to be a close associate of Sajjad Bhatt, who is considered one of the main conspirators behind the 2019 Pulwama terrorist attack. The arrested individual was presented in a Burdwan court on Friday.

It is important to note that on February 14, 2019, a suicide bomber from Jaish-e-Mohammed targeted a bus carrying Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Pulwama, resulting in the deaths of 40 soldiers.