Delhi Police arrests LeT's 'most-wanted' Shabbir Lone, who had Kalkaji temple as his target. How was he nabbed and what was his sinister plan?

Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a ‘most wanted’ Lash-kar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Shabbir Ahmed Lone from near Bangladesh border following a month-long operation. Ahmed was running a Lashkar cell from his hideout near Dhaka, reports TOI's Raj Shekhar Jha. Shabbir Ahmed Lone recruited youths for terrorist activities in Delhi, Kolkata and Tamil Nadu, the report said.

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“Lone was the mastermind behind a recently busted terror module in which eight operatives, including seven Bangladeshi nationals, were arrested. They were the first set of recruits who were sent to Delhi and asked to paste anti-national posters before the AI summit as a ‘test task’,” additional CP (special cell) Pramod Kushwaha told TOI.




Police said that the arrested recruits had also reportedly conducted reconnaissance of key religious sites, including Kalkaji Temple and Gauri Shankar Temple. The module, including Malda-based Umar Farukh and several Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in India, later conducted reconnaissance of crowded commercial and religious locations. A local base was reportedly set up in Kolkata’s Hatiara area to support these operations.

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How Telegram link led to Shabbir Ahmed's arrest

Shabbir Ahmed Lone tried to stay hidden, but his digital trail gave him away. Investigators found that much of the alleged conspiracy was being coordinated through Telegram, where Lone stayed in regular contact with Lashkar-e-Taiba handlers Asif Dar and Sumama Babar.

Dar, originally from Sopore and now believed to be operating from Pakistan, used an online handle to communicate, while Lone frequently changed his encrypted IDs. However, in recent times, he relied on a Bangladeshi mobile number to stay in touch with both his handlers and module members — a mistake that proved crucial.

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In February, when members of his network were arrested, his close aide Umar Faruq shared key details with investigators, including chat IDs and the phone number. This allowed agencies to track activity patterns and match login times with Lone’s movements.

Officials essentially connected the dots between online chats and real-world locations. Each message sent by Faruq helped them narrow down Lone’s position. As the digital tracking improved, agencies also deployed ground intelligence, eventually closing in on him and leading to his arrest.

The entire module was headed by Shabbir Ahmed Lone alias Raja Kashmiri, a resident of Ganderbal currently based in Bangladesh, the TOI report said. A trained LeT terrorist who underwent advanced training in Muzzaffarabad, he was arrested in 2007 with AK-47s and grenades and has direct links to Hafiz Saeed. Lone ran away to Bangladesh to recruit illegal Bangladeshi migrants in India.



Shabbir Ahmed Lone had allegedly set up a Lashkar’s cell in Bangladesh on ISI’s directions and was running a cross-border terror network aimed at radicalising Indian and Bangladeshi youth to carry out terror attacks.

LeT commander arrested in Delhi: His modus operandi explained

According to police, the recruits first set up a base in Kolkata, executed their operation in Delhi, and then flew back, but their travel trail ultimately led investigators to identify and arrest them last month. Following the crackdown, Shabbir Ahmed Lone was allegedly directed by his Pakistan-based handlers to re-enter India, step up recruitment efforts, and coordinate with local operatives to plan a potential attack, officials said.



Lone was arrested in Ghaziabad and investigations revealed that the high-ranking Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handler had entered India via Nepal through the open border. Police recovered his mobile phone, a Nepali SIM card, and multiple foreign currencies, including 2,300 Bangladeshi taka, 5,000 Pakistani rupees and 1,400 Nepalese rupees, along with Indian currency.

Anti-national posters circulated in Delhi

During interrogation, it was revealed that Lone acted under instructions from Sumama Babar and allegedly oversaw the circulation of anti-national posters in Delhi and Kolkata to test new recruits. The posters reportedly featured pro-Pakistan slogans, provocative messaging on Kashmir, and images of Burhan Wani, along with references to Kashmir Solidarity Day. Recruits filmed these acts and sent the videos to Lone, who allegedly encouraged them to proceed further.

According to police, Lone radicalised Umar Farukh and tasked him with leading LeT operations within India. Investigators say the network strategically recruited Bangladeshi nationals who could blend in by assuming Indian identities, helping them evade scrutiny typically faced by Kashmiri or Pakistani operatives.

Who is Shabbir Ahmed Lone?

Shabbir Ahmed Lone, a resident of Kangan, had studied at Salafiya Arabic College, where he completed a two-year madrasa course. According to Additional CP (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwaha, his radicalisation began in the early 2000s when terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba frequently visited his area for logistical support.

Police said Lone was recruited into LeT and underwent multiple training programmes, including basic weapons training and advanced courses in handling assault rifles, explosives, and heavy weapons. He was also trained in indoctrination techniques at a militant camp in Muzaffarabad.

Over time, Lone reconnected with handlers through encrypted apps and began radicalising and recruiting youth for LeT. He was later introduced to Pakistan-based commander Sumama Babar, who, according to police, plays a key role in recruiting and motivating youth in India, especially in the Kashmir Valley, using social media platforms.

Investigators said the political unrest in Bangladesh in 2024 became a turning point. Acting on instructions from Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Lone was sent to Bangladesh to establish an operational network targeting India.

In March 2025, Lone allegedly crossed the Indo-Bangladesh border with his family and set up a base in the Saidpur region. To blend in locally, he also married a Bangladeshi woman.

Police said he then expanded recruitment beyond Jammu and Kashmir, targeting youth from multiple Indian states and union territories, as well as Bangladeshi nationals, to build a wider network for carrying out operations in India.

(With TOI inputs)