Jammu:
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday produced five Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives, including two Pakistani commanders, before a special NIA court in Jammu, marking a breakthrough in an interstate terror module.
The court remanded the two Pakistani terrorists to two days of judicial custody, while three local operatives have been sent to 15 days of judicial custody.
Investigations have revealed that the duo had been operating in India for nearly 15 years using fake Indian identities and forged documents, including Aadhaar cards.
The arrests followed a joint operation by Punjab Police and Jammu and Kashmir Police last month, during which Abdullah alias Abu Huraira and Usman alias Khubaib, both Pakistani LeT commanders, were arrested from Malerkotla in Punjab.
According to officials, their role involved setting up bases across multiple states and recruiting local youth for terror activities. More than 40 operatives are believed to have worked under their network over the years.
Further probes uncovered a wider support system, leading to the arrest of three local residents in Srinagar for allegedly providing shelter, funds, and logistical support to the Pakistani operatives.
“During interrogation, the accused revealed the names of local operatives who had been providing logistical support to terrorists operating in the Kashmir Valley,” a senior investigating officer said.
The network is also suspected to have links in Haryana and Rajasthan, where associates allegedly helped procure fake documents, including Aadhaar cards and Indian passports.
One of the key associates, Abu Harris alias Khargosh, is believed to have fled to Saudi Arabia using a fake Indian identity under the name Sajjad. He had reportedly been operating in Kashmir for years and had married a local woman. Authorities say he managed to secure an Indian passport using forged documents and escaped the country.
The NIA has now taken over the case, and further investigation is underway to dismantle the entire network.