 "The undated photograph shows Delhi Police personnel at a barricade in Delhi. (Representational photo, Credit: PTI)")
A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative accused of orchestrating attacks in India from Bangladesh has been arrested on Monday near the Delhi border, according to reports citing officials.
The accused, Shabbir Ahmad Lone alias Raja alias Kashmiri, a resident of Kangan in Srinagar, was apprehended by the Delhi Police Special Cell in coordination with central agencies. He had been under surveillance for his alleged role in running India-focused terror operations.
Bangladesh base, ISI link
Officials cited by India Today said Lone was operating out of Bangladesh, where he allegedly managed Lashkar’s anti-India activities under directions from Inter-Services Intelligence. He is accused of recruiting Bangladeshi nationals, including illegal migrants in India, to execute attacks while masking Pakistan’s involvement.
Link to wider terror module
The arrest comes days after agencies busted a Lashkar-linked module operating across Delhi and parts of South India. The group had allegedly put up anti-India posters in cities such as Delhi and Kolkata, indicating a mix of propaganda and operational groundwork.
Investigators said Lone is a trained militant who underwent both Daura-e-Aam (basic) and Daura-e-Khaas (advanced) training at a camp in Muzaffarabad. His links with the outfit’s leadership go back nearly two decades.
He was first arrested in 2007 with a cache of arms, including an AK-47 rifle and grenades, and was found to have links with Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. He remained in Tihar Jail until 2018 before securing bail.
Network under probe
Officials said Lone later resurfaced in Bangladesh, where he allegedly rebuilt Lashkar networks and continued coordinating operations targeting India. Agencies are now interrogating him to map the full extent of the network, including recruitment channels, funding routes and potential targets.