Eight arrested in Tamil Nadu for planning terror strikes linked to LeT
During preliminary interrogation related to a terror module being handled by a Lashkar handler based in Bangladesh, accused Umar Faruk revealed that he came in contact with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handler Shabir Ahmad Lone in March 2025, who sought to use illegally-staying Bangladeshi nationals to execute terror strikes on Indian establishments.
ANI
Feb 22, 2026 21:07 IST
New Delhi [India], February 22 (ANI): During preliminary interrogation related to a terror module handled by a Lashkar handler based in Bangladesh, accused Umar Faruk revealed that he came in contact with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handler Shabir Ahmad Lone in March 2025. Lone reportedly sought to use illegally staying Bangladeshi nationals to execute terror strikes on Indian establishments.
Shabir Ahmad Lone, a native of Kangan, Srinagar, J&K, was previously arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell in 2007 with a large cache of arms, including AK-47 rifles and grenades. He has been allegedly linked in the past to Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and reportedly trained at LeT camps in Muzaffarabad backed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Umar Faruk was indoctrinated and later appointed to spearhead the India-bound operations of LeT. The handler's strategy involved using Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in India under assumed identities to carry out terror strikes.
On Sunday, eight suspects, including a Bangladeshi citizen, were arrested for planning a major terrorist plot in Tamil Nadu at the behest of Pakistan's ISI and Bangladeshi terrorist organisations. Earlier, six accused, Mizanur Rahman, Mohammad Shabat, Umar, Mohammad Litan, Mohammad Shahid, and Mohammad Ujjal, from Tamil Nadu, were arrested and taken to Delhi.
Dozens of mobile phones and SIM cards were recovered from the suspects. Delhi Police stated that the accused were posting content on social media in support of Pakistan-based terrorist organisations. Two accused were arrested from Uthukuli, three from Palladam, and one from the Thirumuruganpoondi area. They were reportedly working in the garment industry while concealing their identities using fake Aadhaar cards. A total of eight mobile phones and 16 SIM cards were seized during the operation.
The suspects, suspected of aiding terrorists, conducted reconnaissance of several cities. Posters of "Free Kashmir" were put up in Delhi. Later, two more arrests were made from West Bengal. Delhi Police are in the process of bringing all the suspects from Tamil Nadu to the national capital for further investigation. (ANI)
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