Suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed Member Arrested in West Bengal

Arrest of Suspected Terrorist in Burdwan

A suspected member of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has been apprehended in the Burdwan district of West Bengal. According to police sources, investigative agencies are looking into potential connections 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 located 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 scrutiny. Authorities revealed that 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.

The police suspect Mandal's ties 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. Notably, on February 14, 2019, a suicide bomber from Jaish-e-Mohammed rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus carrying Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Pulwama, resulting in the deaths of 40 soldiers.

Mandal was presented in a Burdwan court on Friday. Neighbors reported that he had been living in the rented flat with his family for approximately a year and a half.

BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar accused the Left Front's 34-year rule and the 15 years of Trinamool Congress governance of turning West Bengal into a 'safe corridor' for radical Islamic organizations. He claimed that due to a 'shift in the state's ideology,' terrorist groups no longer view West Bengal as a secure haven. Sarkar stated that these extremist organizations are now targeting leaders who have taken a strong stance against radical activities.