Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 30: In a major breakthrough, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested Shabir Ahmed Lone, a self-styled commander of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), after a two-month-long operation near the Bangladesh border.
Lone, a 43-year-old native of Kashmir, was allegedly operating a cross-border terror module from Bangladesh and was actively involved in recruiting youth across multiple Indian states, including Delhi, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
According to officials, Lone had been running a Lashkar module from a hideout near Dhaka. A specialised team of the Delhi Police Special Cell tracked him down following sustained surveillance and intelligence inputs. The operation was closely monitored by senior officers.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwaha said that Lone was arrested from the Ghazipur area by a team led by DCP Praveen Tripathi, along with Inspectors Sunil and Dheeraj Mehlawat.
“Lone was a wanted terrorist and had been on the radar of security agencies for his role in recruiting youths for terror activities,” Kushwaha said. He added that cash, including approximately 2,300 Bangladeshi Taka, 5,000 Pakistani currency notes, and a Nepal SIM card, was recovered from his possession.
Lone, who is also accused in the metro poster case, was produced before the Patiala House Court following his arrest.
Police sources said that the same Special Cell team had earlier busted a module linked to Lone in February, arresting seven Bangladeshi nationals and one individual from Malda. Investigations revealed that the group had conducted reconnaissance of high-footfall areas, including religious and commercial sites, with plans to carry out terrorist activities.
Following the crackdown, Lone is believed to have returned to India to revive the network, explore new operational possibilities, and recruit fresh members.
Lone has a long history with Indian law enforcement agencies. He was first arrested by Delhi Police in 2007 on terror-related charges. After securing bail in 2019, he fled to Bangladesh, where he re-established links and set up a Lashkar module, keeping security agencies on high alert.
Meanwhile, security agencies have intensified efforts to track down another key militant, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, who is believed to have deeper operational links. Gul, a former detainee who was arrested in 2002 and later released in 2017 after serving time in Tihar Jail, is currently based in Pakistan.
He is now heading The Resistance Front (TRF), considered a proxy outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, and has been linked to several terror attacks, including the Pahalgam incident. |
