How Burhan Wani's posters at Delhi Metro led cops to an LeT module across 3 states

New Delhi (PTI): In a major counter-terror operation spanning three states, the Delhi Police has dismantled a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) module comprising eight operatives, including seven Bangladeshi nationals who had illegally entered India and procured forged identity documents, an official said on Sunday.

The arrests followed coordinated raids in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, after investigators traced the group's involvement in putting up pro-Pakistan and pro-terror posters, showcasing terrorist Burhan Wani, at multiple locations in Delhi.

The module was being handled from Bangladesh by Shabir Ahmad Lone alias Raja alias Kashmiri, a trained LeT terrorist from Jammu and Kashmir who was previously arrested by the Delhi Police's Special Cell in 2007 in a case involving the recovery of arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 rifle and grenades, Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said.

He said Lone, who hails from Kangan in Srinagar, had fled to Bangladesh after his release from Tihar Jail in 2018 and was working to revive the LeT's terror network in India by activating sleeper cells of Bangladeshi operatives residing illegally in the country.

"The investigation began on February 8, after a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) shift in-charge submitted a written complaint at the Supreme Court Metro police station regarding pro-Pakistan and pro-terror posters pasted at the Janpath metro station. Similar posters were later found at other locations in Delhi," Kushwah said.

The posters featured photographs glorifying slain Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist Wani and carried messages, such as "India stop genocide" and "Free Kashmir", along with Urdu slogans translating to "Hum Pakistani Hain, Pakistan Hamara Hai" and "Kashmiri Ek Jut-ta Divas".

An FIR was registered and further investigation launched by the Special Cell. The initial groundwork was carried out by a team of the Delhi Police's Metro unit and the probe was later transferred to the Special Cell.

Kushwah said the Special Cell, already tracking activities of LeT operatives with Bangladeshi connections in the wake of recent developments in Bangladesh, intensified human intelligence and technical surveillance. Based on analysis, a team traced two suspects to Majherpara at Hatiara Gote in Kolkata.

On February 15, a raid was conducted and two accused -- Umar Faruk (31), a resident of West Bengal's Malda, and Robiul Islam (31), a native of Bangladesh -- were arrested.

"On February 21, simultaneous raids were carried out in Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu, leading to the arrests of six more operatives, identified as Mohammad Mizanur Rehman (32), Mohammad Sefayat Hossain (34), Mohammad Zahidul Islam (40), Mohammad Liton (40), Mohammad Uzzal (27) and Umar (32) -- all natives of Bangladesh's Bogura district," the officer said.

He said preliminary interrogations revealed that Faruk came in contact with Lone in March 2025 and was indoctrinated by him. Lone allegedly appointed Faruk to spearhead LeT operations in India, using Bangladeshi nationals who had assumed Indian identities.

In December 2025, Faruk was directed to conduct reconnaissance of vital installations in India and send videos to his handler. "After completing the reconnaissance, he was instructed to visit Bangladesh for further directions and recruiting more Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in India," the Additional CP said.

Police said Faruk rented a hideout in Kolkata in accordance with Lone's instructions and shared its details with him. The premises were meant to serve as a base for terror activities. Lone also directed Faruk to arrange weapons, for which he began contacting local sources.

On February 6, Faruk and Robiul Islam boarded a plane from Kolkata to Delhi via Patna. On the night of February 7, they pasted the pro-Pakistan and pro-terror posters at 10 locations in Delhi, recorded videos of the act and sent those to Lone. They returned to Kolkata by train on February 8.

"Lone congratulated them and instructed them to replicate the act in Kolkata. The duo later pasted similar posters at multiple locations in the West Bengal capital and shared videos with him. Lone had another accomplice, Saidul Islam, a Bangladeshi national currently in a foreign country who facilitated his illegal entry into Bangladesh and arranged his hideout there. Saidul Islam also provided details of the Tamil Nadu-based group to Lone and Faruk," Kushwah said.

During searches, police seized pro-Pakistan and pro-terror posters from the rented accommodations of the accused, along with 10 mobile phones containing incriminating material. They also seized 25 credit and debit cards, five point-of-sale (POS) machines and Bangladeshi passports and identity cards.

Officials are probing the financial transactions and possible "hawala" links. Police said the accused had procured Indian identity documents to mask their Bangladeshi origin and entered the country illegally.

Kushwah said Lone, a resident of Srinagar, was arrested by the Special Cell in 2007 under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Explosive Substances Act. At the time of his arrest, he was found to have direct links with Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his deputy, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.

He had undergone basic (Daura-e-Aam) and advanced (Daura-e-Khaas) terror training at an LeT camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Police said Lone was backed and funded by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to recruit Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in India for planning terror plots.

In addition to the 2007 case, Lone is also facing proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is named in another criminal case registered at Delhi's Hari Nagar police station in 2011.

Police said the timely arrests have potentially averted terror strikes in India. The module had conducted reconnaissance of important installations and was in the process of arranging weapons.

Further investigation is underway to identify other associates of the arrested accused.