Rohan Umak
Lashkar-e-Taiba module busted Delhi: The Delhi Police’s Special cell has busted a suspected module linked to the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) on Monday, and said they have arrested eight persons across multiple states, thereby averting what officials described as a ‘major terrorist attack.’ As per police, the mastermind of the module, Shabbir Ahmed Lone, has also fallen into their dragnet on Sunday.
Operation spanned multiple states
According to police, the arrests were conducted in coordinated operations spanning Delhi, Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur and Bengal-capital Kolkata. The police said that seven of the eight arrested accused are Bangladeshi nationals, who had entered India illegally and were operating under forged identity documents. Notably, the probe was carried out on February 8, 2026, after inflammatory posters surfaced at Delhi’s Janpath Metro station. The posters mentioned pro-Pakistan slogans, references to Kashmir and images of slain militant Burhan Wani. Similar material was later found in several parts of the national capital, raising alarm.
The investigators said that the group initially engaged in propaganda activities, but had begun transitioning towards operational planning. The police added that key accused, Umar Farooq allegedly revealed during interrogation that he had been radicalised by Lone and was tasked with conducting reconnaissance of sensitive locations, filming their videos and recruiting operatives for terror attacks. He was also directed to arrange arms through local contacts. The police believe that these activities indicated preparation for a large-scale attack in Delhi.
Lashkar-e-Taiba module busted Delhi: Lone entered India via Nepal border
As per police’s statement, Lone was apprehended near Ghazipur in Delhi, after he illegally entered India via the Nepal border. Intelligence agencies claimed he maintained direct contact with senior LeT handlers based in Pakistan, which include Abu Huzaifa, Sumama Babar and Abdul Rahman, and was working to rebuild the network in India. Sources said he is also said to have links with operatives associated with another terror outfit Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen.
It is noteworthy that Lone had been arrested in 2007 with arms and explosives, and was sentenced to imprisonment in Tihar Jail until 2018 before fleeing abroad.
Incriminating material seized from module
The special cell officials said that several cell phones, debit and credit cards, POS machines, passports and other incriminating material were seized from the possession of the accused. Officials said that the module’s aim was to create sleeper cells by infiltrating operatives into India for future attacks.
Post-arrest, Lone was produced in a Delhi court, which has remanded him to police custody for further interrogation. Meanwhile, the agencies are probing the wider network and its cross-border links.
Shubh Laabh