NIA Takes Charge of Major LeT Terror Module Bust

Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally taken over the probe into the recently exposed interstate Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT) terror module, securing custody of five arrested operatives—including two Pakistani nationals—for detailed interrogation. The development marks a significant escalation in India’s counter‑terror efforts, following a major breakthrough by the Jammu and Kashmir Police on April 7, officials in winter capital Jammu said.

According to officials, the arrests included Abdullah, also known as Abu Hureira, a high‑value LeT operative who had managed to evade security agencies for nearly 16 years. Having infiltrated India more than a decade and a half ago, Abdullah is believed to have established operational bases and support structures outside the Union Territory. Another Pakistani national, Usman alias Khubaib, was also apprehended, along with three Srinagar residents—Muhammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid, and Ghulam Muhammad Mir alias Mama—who allegedly provided logistical support, shelter, and resources to the foreign militants.

The arrests were the culmination of a coordinated operation involving the J&K Police and central agencies, spanning multiple states. Investigators conducted extensive searches at 19 locations across J&K, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab. These raids led to the recovery of a substantial cache of weapons, including four AK‑series rifles, an AK Krinkov, pistols, grenades, and a large volume of incriminating digital and documentary evidence. Officials described the network as “deep‑rooted,” revealing that it facilitated logistics, finances, forged documents, and safe passage for LeT operatives across state lines and, in at least one case, beyond India’s borders.

The investigation began to unravel on March 31, when Naqeeb Bhat was arrested in the Pandach area of Srinagar with a pistol and other incriminating material. His interrogation exposed a wider network of facilitators embedded across the Valley and other states. Officials believe Abdullah and Usman remained active across multiple districts of the Kashmir Valley, handling or commanding nearly 40 foreign militants over the years—most of whom have since been neutralised. Their prolonged presence in India, investigators say, was enabled by a sophisticated support system that provided forged identity documents, safe houses, and operational cover.

One of the LeT operatives Umer Harris, alias 'Khargosh' (rabbit), is believed to be in Saudi Arabia after managing to escape the country using a forged passport issued in the name of Sajjad, claiming to be a resident of Rajasthan.

A resident of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Harris joined the LeT to evade police prosecution as he had several arson cases pending against him in Karachi. He was later pushed by the LeT into J&K in 2012. He earned the alias 'Khargosh' as he could hop from place to place in no time, evading the security dragnet. According to investigations and interrogations of the arrested accused, Harris, after infiltrating the Kashmir Valley, stayed at various locations in Bandipora and Srinagar and married the daughter of an LeT Over Ground Worker (OGW). The Nikah ceremony was held in Jaipur under his assumed name, Sajjad. As per investigators, the marriage documents were also used to support his application for an Indian passport. They said Harris managed to flee to Indonesia, from where he is believed to have used another forged travel document to station himself somewhere in Saudi Arabia in 2024–25.

After formally taking over the case, the NIA produced all five accused before the special NIA court in Jammu. The court granted a two‑day remand for the two Pakistani nationals and a 15‑day remand for the three local operatives, allowing investigators to deepen their probe into the module’s funding channels, recruitment patterns, and interstate linkages. Several hideouts in forested areas around Srinagar have already been uncovered, and officials anticipate more arrests as the investigation progresses.

This crackdown comes just six months after police dismantled a “white‑collar” LeT module linked to Faridabad’s Al Falah University, where highly educated individuals—including medical professionals—had been radicalised. That earlier case involved Dr. Umer un‑Nabi, who drove an explosives‑laden vehicle that detonated outside Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10, resulting in multiple casualties. The incident underscored the evolving nature of terror recruitment, with extremist groups increasingly relying on educated operatives capable of executing sophisticated plots.

Reacting to the latest bust, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said the recurring emergence of such modules raises serious questions about infiltration routes and the origins of these networks. Speaking to reporters in Jammu on April 7, he noted that while the successful operation is commendable, it also highlights the persistent challenge of cross‑border terrorism. “It is good that it was busted. However, alongside that, the question arises — where did they come from and why? We are repeatedly told that terrorism is over, that there is no trace of it left. Yet, such modules continue to be unearthed, and terrorists infiltrating from across the border are being found,” he had said.

As the NIA continues its investigation, officials have indicated that further details will be shared once the probe reaches a conclusive stage. “For now, the arrests represent a major stride in dismantling LeT’s operational and support structures across the country, reinforcing the ongoing efforts to curb terrorism particularly in J&K,” said an official.