Jammu Kashmir Police Arrested Militant Leader After 16 Years | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police have busted a major interstate module of the Pakistan-based militant proscribed outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), arresting five persons including a top commander who had been evading capture for nearly 16 years, according to multiple media reports.

Reports said the arrests followed a coordinated, multi-state operation involving local police and central agencies, with searches conducted at nearly 19 locations across Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. A large cache of arms and incriminating material was recovered during the operation.

Among those arrested are two Pakistani nationals identified as Abdullah alias Abu Hureira, a top LeT commander, and his associate Usman alias Khubaib. Both are categorised as ‘A+’ militants and are reported to have infiltrated into Kashmir around 16 years ago, remaining active across several districts while simultaneously building networks beyond the Union Territory.

Three Srinagar residents, Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid Bhat and Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Mama, were also arrested for allegedly providing logistical support, including shelter, food and other assistance to the militants, reports said.

According to officials quoted in media reports, the operation was led by the police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) and monitored at the highest level. The investigation uncovered what was described as a “deep-rooted” and extensive network that handled logistics, safe houses and financial flows for LeT operatives.

The breakthrough in the case reportedly came on March 31 with the arrest of Naqeeb Bhat from the Pandach area of Srinagar. A pistol and incriminating material were recovered from him, and his interrogation led security forces to other associates, eventually exposing the wider network.

Subsequent raids led to the recovery of a significant quantity of arms and ammunition, including three AK-47 rifles, one AK-Krinkov rifle, pistols, hand grenades, and electronic equipment. Officials also seized forged documents bearing addresses from outside Jammu and Kashmir, pointing to the use of fake identities and interstate facilitation channels.

Media reports said the two Pakistani militants had managed to establish operational bases outside Jammu and Kashmir in recent years using forged documents, living under assumed identities and at times working in low-profile jobs to avoid detection. Investigators believe the network enabled movement of operatives across states and even facilitated international travel in at least one instance using fake documentation.

Officials further indicated that the arrested commander had played a key role in recruiting and directing militant activities, handling nearly 40 foreign militants over the years. Many of these operatives were later killed in encounters with security forces, reports said.

The probe has also revealed details of terror financing, with funds allegedly routed through channels linked to West Asian countries and distributed locally to sustain militant operations. Several hideouts, including those in forested areas in and around Srinagar, were identified and dismantled during the operation.

Some reports also suggested that the militant had embedded himself locally over the years, using social and familial links to evade detection and run support networks within parts of Srinagar and its outskirts.

Police sources said the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are likely as agencies work to identify additional associates, financiers, facilitators, and the full extent of interstate linkages.

The development comes months after security agencies had uncovered another network under a previous operation in late 2025, indicating continued efforts to dismantle militant infrastructure in the region.

No official detailed statement had been issued at the time of filing this report, but officials cited in multiple media accounts described the latest operation as a significant breakthrough in counter-terror efforts in Jammu and Kashmir.