The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) unit of J&K Police claims to have busted a major terrorist recruitment module. This module was working in coordination with handlers based in Pakistan across the Line of Control (LoC) and in connivance with a network present in Bangladesh. This module was busted when the police conducted a massive search operation at several places in Srinagar, Ganderbal and Shopian districts.
These search operations were conducted at 10 places in the Kashmir Valley on the basis of search warrants issued by the court of the special judge designated under the NIA Act. These warrants were related to FIR number 01/2026 registered at Police Station CIK. In this, cases were registered under sections 13, 17, 18, 18-B, 20, 38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
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Lashkar terrorist Shabbir Ahmed was running Lone module
During investigation, it has come to light that this module is being run by Shabbir Ahmed Lone, a terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) present in Pakistan. Shabbir is originally from Kangan in Ganderbal district of Kashmir and works under various fake names (aliases) like Raju and Zafar Siddiqui. This handler is very fanatic and trained. It has undergone systematic weapons training (Daura-e-Aam and Daura-e-Khas) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Shabbir had entered India through Bangladesh border
Shabbir initially worked as an ‘over-ground worker’ for a terrorist organization in the late 1990s, after which he joined the terrorist organization LeT in the early 2000s. He later entered India through the Bangladesh border and since then has been actively involved in terrorism related activities, including plotting several major attacks.
After first facing legal action in India, he secretly fled to Bangladesh. Since then he has been working from there and coordinating the recruitment of terrorists and the expansion of his network.
Investigation has also revealed that Shabbir Ahmed Lone is in constant touch with top leaders of banned terrorist organizations. It has played an important role in reactivating cross-border terrorist modules, including those captured recently in different parts of the country.
Shabbir Lone is currently present in Bangladesh
It is believed that he is currently present in Bangladesh and continues to carry out his activities through the network of his associates and over-ground workers. Thus, he is a ‘most wanted’ terrorist operating from foreign soil. In a related development, CIK had earlier arrested one of his close associates, Irfan Ahmed Wani. Irfan Ahmed Wani is a 45-year-old man from Heerpura in Shopian, who worked as a religious worker in a local mosque.
Preliminary investigation reveals that the accused was in constant touch with his handler Shabbir Ahmed Lone and other terrorists based in Pakistan and Afghanistan through encrypted messaging platforms. He was actively involved in local level recruitment, radicalization and providing logistical support.
Use of encrypted communication platforms
The investigation further revealed that the module was using encrypted communication platforms and other digital means to keep its activities secret and coordinate with its handlers across the border.
During the searches conducted today, several incriminating materials including digital devices, SIM cards, mobile phones, laptops and other documents related to the investigation have been recovered and seized.
The objective of this investigation is to completely dismantle this entire terrorist network by identifying all the persons involved in this entire terrorist network, including over-ground workers (OGWs), facilitators, middlemen and sympathizers working within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and from foreign lands including Bangladesh and taking strict legal action against them.