Lashkar terrorist who handled terror modules from Bangladesh and Kolkata arrested near Delhi.

‘Kalkaji Temple Among Targets’: Arrest of Kashmir-Origin LeT Operative Shabbir Ahmed Lone Exposes Kolkata Base Set Up for Delhi Attacks Targeting Hindu Devotees.

Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | March 31, 2026:: In a major breakthrough for India’s counter-terror apparatus, the Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a “most wanted” Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative, Shabbir Ahmed Lone alias Raja Kashmiri, exposing a chilling cross-border terror network that allegedly planned attacks on prominent Hindu religious sites, including Delhi’s Kalkaji Temple.

Arrest after month-long operation

Lone, a Kashmir-origin LeT commander, was apprehended late Sunday night (29.03.2026) following a meticulously coordinated, month-long surveillance operation. Acting on precise intelligence inputs, a special team led by senior officers intercepted him in Ghazipur as he re-entered India via Nepal, exploiting the porous Indo-Nepal border. His capture is being viewed as a critical success in dismantling a revived terror pipeline allegedly orchestrated through Bangladesh at the behest of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI.

Authorities revealed that Lone had a long history of terror involvement, having been arrested earlier in 2007 in Delhi and again in 2016 in Jammu & Kashmir. Despite prior crackdowns, he is believed to have re-established operational links and resumed activities with renewed backing from handlers across the border.

Bangladesh module and radicalisation network

Investigations suggest that Lone had set up a Lashkar-backed module in Bangladesh, aimed at radicalising Indian and Bangladeshi youth. According to officials, the network functioned as a recruitment and testing ground for potential operatives who would later be deployed in India.

Additional CP (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwaha stated that Lone was the mastermind behind a recently busted terror module involving eight operatives, seven of whom were Bangladeshi nationals. These recruits were initially tasked with low-level activities such as pasting anti-national posters in Delhi ahead of a high-profile AI summit—an assignment designed to test their loyalty and operational readiness.

Reconnaissance of Hindu temples

As the probe deepened, investigators uncovered more alarming details. The module had allegedly conducted reconnaissance of key religious sites, including Kalkaji Temple and Gauri Shankar Temple. Police believe these locations were being evaluated for potential large-scale attacks aimed at causing maximum casualties among Hindu devotees.

Officials indicated that Lone’s handlers had instructed him to intensify recruitment efforts and coordinate with ground-level operatives to execute a major strike. The plan allegedly involved orchestrating high-impact blasts in crowded religious spaces.

Kolkata base and propaganda operations

A significant aspect of the investigation is the revelation of a Kolkata-based operational hub. Police said a local base had been established in the Hatiara area of the city to facilitate logistics, shelter operatives, and coordinate activities. Individuals including Malda-based Umar Farukh and several illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were allegedly part of this network.

Under instructions from a Pakistan-based handler identified as Sumama Babar, Lone supervised propaganda activities in both Delhi and Kolkata. Recruits were directed to paste posters carrying pro-Pakistan slogans, references to Kashmir, and imagery of slain militant Burhan Wani. These acts were recorded and sent back to Lone, who reportedly encouraged the operatives and escalated them to more serious assignments.

Seizures and ongoing probe

At the time of arrest, police recovered Lone’s mobile phone, a Nepali SIM card, and multiple foreign currencies, including Bangladeshi taka, Pakistani rupees, and Nepalese rupees—indicating extensive cross-border movement and funding channels.

Currently in five-day police remand, Lone is being intensively interrogated to uncover the full extent of the network, including ISI’s alleged role in Bangladesh-based operations, financial conduits, and remaining sleeper cells. Authorities have told the court that his custodial interrogation is crucial to identifying handlers, disrupting funding routes, and neutralising any imminent threats.

Strategic significance

Security agencies believe Lone’s arrest has dealt a major blow to a coordinated effort to revive terror activities using eastern corridors through Bangladesh. By exposing the recruitment pipeline, propaganda machinery, and potential attack plans, investigators say the operation has likely averted a serious threat to public safety.

The case underscores ongoing concerns about cross-border radicalisation networks and highlights the importance of intelligence coordination in pre-empting terror strikes targeting civilian and religious spaces.
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_Inputs from TOI.