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A apical operative of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Umer Harris alias “Khargosh” (rabbit), with roots successful Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is present believed to beryllium successful Saudi Arabia aft fleeing India utilizing a forged passport, officials told PTI connected Sunday.
The papers was issued nether the sanction “Sajjad”, with Harris posing arsenic a nonmigratory of Rajasthan.The probe into the LeT panic module is being led by Srinagar Police, which has shared details with cardinal agencies, raising concerns implicit systemic loopholes that enabled specified misuse, officials said.The case, registered earlier this period by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, is apt to beryllium handed implicit to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Meanwhile, cardinal details person already been shared with authorities constabulary forces to alteration swift enactment and plug captious gaps, officials told PTI.Contrary to earlier reports that linked Umer Harris to Karachi, investigators person present established that helium hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa successful Pakistan. He reportedly joined Lashkar-e-Taiba to evade constabulary action, with aggregate arson cases pending against him successful Karachi, earlier being pushed into Jammu and Kashmir by the panic outfit successful 2012.Harris earned the alias “Khargosh” for his quality to determination swiftly and evade the information dragnet.
According to investigators, aft infiltrating the Kashmir Valley from the bluish side, helium lived crossed Bandipora and Srinagar, yet marrying the girl of an LeT Over Ground Worker (OGW). The nikah was conducted successful Jaipur nether his assumed identity, “Sajjad”.Officials said the matrimony documents aboriginal became important successful supporting his exertion for an Indian passport, a revelation that has raised superior questions astir lapses successful verification systems.
The unravelling of the inter-state module by the Srinagar Police has exposed systemic loopholes, peculiarly however a passport could beryllium issued successful Rajasthan contempt established checks.Investigators judge Harris fled to Indonesia and aboriginal moved to Saudi Arabia betwixt 2024 and 2025 utilizing different forged question document. Efforts are present nether mode done diplomatic channels to unafraid his deportation.The caller details surfaced aft Srinagar Police busted what officials described arsenic a “deep-rooted” inter-state LeT module, arresting 5 operatives, including Pakistani violent Abdullah alias Abu Hureira, who had been connected the tally for 16 years and had established bases extracurricular Jammu and Kashmir.The apprehension of Abdullah, on with different Pakistani national, Usman alias Khubaib, marks a large breakthrough, coming six months aft the dismantling of a “white-collar” panic compartment linked to Faridabad’s Al Falah University.During interrogation, Abdullah revealed details of his and Harris’ movements crossed India, peculiarly successful Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. This included the Jaipur marriage, aft which the bride’s begetter was detained for allegedly being alert of Harris’ existent identity, officials said.The operation, launched connected March 31 and intimately monitored by DGP Nalin Prabhat, has besides shed airy connected the backing and fiscal networks of LeT. Investigators accidental the radical relied heavy connected forged identities and documents to physique a multi-state network.Three Srinagar residents, Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid Bhat and Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Mama, were among those arrested, accused of providing shelter, nutrient and logistical support.
The web began to unravel with the apprehension of Naqeeb Bhat from the Pandach area, wherever constabulary recovered a pistol and incriminating material.During questioning, Bhat admitted his links with LeT, saying helium procured arms from different associate, Adil Rashid of Zakoora, and facilitated enactment for overseas terrorists. His disclosures led constabulary to Mir and Rashid Bhat, some progressive operatives, and helped uncover aggregate hideouts successful forested areas astir Srinagar.Officials said the 2 Pakistani terrorists are categorised arsenic ‘A+’ militants and had infiltrated India astir 16 years ago, remaining progressive crossed the Kashmir Valley portion “commanding” astir 40 overseas terrorists implicit the years, astir of whom person since been neutralised.The bust comes astir six months aft the vulnerability of the “Al Falah module” successful November 2025, erstwhile a Srinagar Police probe uncovered a web of radicalised professionals, galore of them doctors.One of the accused, Al Falah University’s Umer-un Nabi, was down the explosives-laden car that detonated extracurricular the Red Fort connected November 10, sidesplitting much than a twelve people. Officials said helium had earlier made unsuccessful attempts to articulation panic groups successful 2016 and 2018.
