The Jammu and Kashmir Police, working in close tandem with central intelligence agencies, have significantly widened their crackdown on a sprawling inter-state logistical network operated by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group.

This intensified operation has led to the detention of several individuals across Haryana and Rajasthan. These suspects are allegedly responsible for facilitating the acquisition of fraudulent identities, including forged passports, for active terrorists.

Official reports released on Sunday indicate that these detained individuals provided essential logistical assistance by manufacturing high-quality forged documents.

These included Aadhaar and Permanent Account Number (PAN) cards, as well as voter identification cards. Such documents allowed terrorists to blend into the civilian population and move across state borders with relative ease.

While the investigation was originally spearheaded by the Srinagar Police, who generated the foundational intelligence, the case was rapidly escalated to involve central agencies and various state police forces. This shift occurred as the true scale of the operation and its severe national security ramifications became evident, revealing a network that spanned multiple regions of the country.

A key figure in this investigation is a terrorist known as Umar, or 'Kharghosh' (Rabbit), a resident of Karachi, Pakistan. Umar reportedly infiltrated India after 2012 and managed to evade authorities for over a decade.

In 2024, he successfully procured a forged passport in Jaipur, Rajasthan, which he used to flee to Indonesia. It is believed he has since moved to a Gulf country using another set of forged travel documents.

The dismantling of this "deep-rooted" module followed the arrest of five individuals, including a high-ranking Pakistani terrorist named Abdullah, also known as Abu Hureira. Abdullah had been a fugitive for 16 years and had managed to establish operational bases outside the Union Territory. His arrest, alongside another Pakistani national, Usman (alias Khubaib), is considered a major victory for the Srinagar authorities.

This success comes six months after the police dismantled the "Al Falah" cell in Faridabad, which was linked to a devastating bombing at the Red Fort in November 2025. During his interrogation, Abdullah detailed his and Umar's extensive movements across Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab. This included a marriage ceremony between one of the escaped terrorists and the daughter of a terror sympathiser located in Kashmir.

The current operation, which commenced on 31st March, has been closely monitored by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat. The investigation has successfully unveiled the complex funding and financial patterns used by LeT to sustain its inter-state operations. Officials have confirmed that terrorists consistently used forged identities to embed themselves in various states beyond Jammu and Kashmir.

Authorities have not ruled out further arrests, particularly of those who directly aided the terrorists in fraudulently obtaining passports. Among the five people already arrested are three residents of Srinagar: Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid Bhat, and Ghulam Mohammad Mir (alias Mama). These men are accused of providing the terrorists with food, shelter, and logistical support.

The network began to collapse on 31st March following the arrest of Naqeeb Bhat in Pandach, where he was found with a pistol and incriminating materials. During questioning, Bhat admitted his affiliation with LeT and revealed he received weapons from Adil Rashid. This confession led the police to Mir and Rashid Bhat, and subsequently to the discovery of various hideouts in forested areas surrounding Srinagar.

The two captured Pakistani terrorists were categorised as 'A+' grade militants. Having infiltrated nearly 16 years ago, they are believed to have commanded roughly 40 foreign terrorists throughout their active period.

While most of their subordinates have been neutralised over the years, the leaders remained a significant threat until their recent capture.

Police have seized a substantial amount of incriminating material from various hideouts. The haul includes three AK-47 rifles, one AK-Krinkov rifle, several pistols, hand grenades, and various electronic gadgets used for communication and planning. These seizures highlight the military-grade capabilities the module was attempting to maintain.

This breakthrough mirrors the November 2025 crackdown on the 'Al Falah' module, which revealed a disturbing trend of radicalisation among highly educated professionals.

That module included individuals like Dr Umer-un Nabi, who was responsible for the Red Fort car bombing that killed over a dozen people. These recent investigations underscore the persistent and evolving nature of the logistical networks supporting terrorism in the region.

PTI