New Delhi: In a significant breakthrough for Indian security agencies, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Shabbir Ahmad Lone, also known by aliases “Raja” and “Kashmiri,” has been apprehended near the Delhi border. Lone, a native of Kangan in Jammu & Kashmir’s Srinagar district, is believed to have been orchestrating anti-India terror operations from Bangladesh under the direction of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The arrest was carried out by the Special Cell of Delhi Police in coordination with central intelligence agencies, following credible inputs about Lone’s involvement in managing a covert network aimed at destabilizing India. Authorities revealed that he was actively running a “sleep-cell” module, recruiting operatives, including Bangladeshi nationals and infiltrators within India, to execute terror attacks while masking Pakistan’s direct involvement.
Investigations suggest that Lone had been deeply engaged in spreading anti-India propaganda. He allegedly orchestrated the placement of provocative posters in multiple locations to incite unrest and influence public sentiment. Officials believe this was part of a broader psychological and operational strategy to weaken internal security.
This is not Lone’s first brush with law enforcement. In 2007, he was arrested by the Delhi Police with a substantial cache of arms and ammunition, including grenades and an AK-47 rifle. During that time, authorities established his direct links with top LeT leadership, including Hafiz Saeed and co-founder Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. Despite the seriousness of the charges, Lone secured bail in 2018. He subsequently fled to Bangladesh in 2019, where he is believed to have established a new terror module and resumed operations.
Security officials describe Lone as a highly trained operative who underwent both basic and advanced terror training in Muzaffarabad. With nearly two decades of association with LeT’s leadership, his role indicates a well-structured cross-border terror network involving handlers in Pakistan and operatives stationed in Bangladesh.
The arrest comes amid heightened concerns over expanding terror modules within India. Just days earlier, security forces had uncovered a Lashkar-linked network operating across Delhi and parts of South India. Reports indicate that members of this module, some posing as Bangladeshi migrants, were involved in propaganda dissemination and reconnaissance activities. Raids conducted in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal in February led to the seizure of mobile phones, forged identity documents, bank cards, and pro-Pakistan material.
Authorities also recovered videos showing detailed reconnaissance of sensitive locations in Delhi, including the Red Fort and prominent religious sites. These findings point to a coordinated effort to identify and potentially target high-value locations.
Meanwhile, agencies are continuing their search for other high-profile operatives linked to terror activities in India. Among them is Sheikh Sajjad Gul, a former detainee who was released in 2017 and later fled to Pakistan. Gul is currently believed to be leading The Resistance Front (TRF), an LeT proxy outfit implicated in multiple terror attacks, including the Pahalgam massacre.
Lone is presently under intensive interrogation, with investigators focusing on uncovering the full extent of the network, including its funding channels, recruitment strategies, and potential targets across India. Officials emphasize that the case highlights the persistent and evolving nature of cross-border terrorism and the need for sustained vigilance.
Source: OpIndia
