Recce to Recruitment: How Shabbir Lone Built a Lashkar Network Across India

Terror operative Shabbir Ahmed Lone's arrest unravels his role as a key LeT conspirator. He communicated with Pakistani handlers, and his module surveyed temples and commercial hubs in Delhi, averting a potential terror attack.

A day after terror operative Shabbir Ahmed Lone was sent to police custody his role in fermenting terror activities has unravelled. According to investigation officers, Lone maintained regular communication with handlers of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, including Asif Dar and Sumama Babar.

Investigations have revealed that operatives of this module had conducted reconnaissance of prominent temples as well as high-footfall commercial hubs in Delhi and other parts of the country, identifying them as potential targets. Police said Shabbir Lone was the key conspirator of the module and was acting on directions of Pakistan-based handlers.

Module's Activities Uncovered

The group was actively surveying crowded religious places and commercial centres to assess security vulnerabilities and footfall patterns. Officials added that the module was engaged in radicalising and recruiting vulnerable youth, while also testing operational capabilities through recce and other activities. The timely arrest has averted a potential terror plot, and further investigation is underway to identify the wider network and sleeper cells.

Who is Shabbir Ahmed Lone?

Shabbir Ahmad Lone hails from Village & Tehsil Kangan, District Ganderbal, J&K, and belongs to a middle-class family. He completed his studies till class 8 class and then completed a two-year Islamic Madrasa course from Salafia Arabic College, Batmalu. He has one brother and four sisters. He has two wives, one son and one daughter.

Past Arrests and Re-radicalisation

In the year 2004-2005, his locality was frequently visited by LeT terrorists, namely Abu Huzaifa, Abu Bakar and Faisal, for food and other logistic support. Abu Huzaifa had recruited him in the LeT cadre during that time. Asif Dar, originally from Sopore and currently operating from Pakistan, coordinated activities using the encrypted handle @YD_17 on the messaging platform Telegram. Lone frequently changed encrypted chat identities but later used a specific mobile number to communicate with handlers and module members, which investigators say helped trace the network.

In the year 2016, he was arrested along with Sajjad Gul in the Arms Act Case PS Parimpora, J&K, with the recovery of five live rounds of AK-47. His co-accused, Sajjad Gul, after being released from the case, shifted to Pakistan and is currently operating "The Resistance Front", a LeT offshoot. Shabbir Ahmad Lone again came in contact with Abu Huzaifa in 2016 through encrypted Apps and started radicalising and recruiting youths into the LeT cadre.

Recruitment Drive and Expansion

Abu Huzaifa introduced him to Pakistan based LeT commander, Sumama Babar, through an encrypted app. Sumama Babar is responsible for radicalising, motivating, and recruiting youth in India, primarily in the Kashmir Valley, into terrorist ranks through different social media apps. In 2025, Sumama Babar asked Shabbir to recruit Bangladeshis and Indian youth from the states/UTs other than J&K to carry out terrorist operations in India. Shabbir shifted to Gurugram, where he recruited Umar Farukh, co-accused in the PS Supreme Court Metro case.

Cross-border Operations and Arrests

In March 2025, Shabbir Ahmad Lone, along with his wife and family crossed the Indo-Bangla Border and set up a launching pad in Saidpur, Bangladesh. Although already married, he again married a local Bangladeshi woman to gel with the local populace. The anti-national posters pasted in Delhi and Kolkata were sent to Shabbir Ahmad Lone by Sumama Babar.

Lone subsequently recruited Bangladeshi and Indian youth from multiple states and Union Territories outside Jammu and Kashmir to carry out terror operations inside India. Six Bangladeshi Nationals staying illegally in Tirupur District, Tamil Nadu, were also recruited in this module and were in the process of relocating themselves to the Hathi Yara Gothe Kolkata setup. All the 8 persons, i.e. 7 Bangladeshi nationals and Malda-based Umar Farooq, were arrested in the month of February by the Special Cell.

Police Custody and Ongoing Investigation

Meanwhile, Delhi's Patiala House Court on Monday granted five days' custody of Shabbir Ahmed Lone to the Special Cell of Delhi Police in a case linked to the pasting of anti-India posters at sensitive locations, through a Lashkar terror module. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Vijayshree Rathod granted the custody after Delhi Police sought it to bust the network and identify other handlers.

While seeking custody, Delhi Police told the court that Lone is allegedly involved in a currency network spanning Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. A SIM card of Nepali origin has been recovered from him. Police said his custody is required to dismantle this network and identify other operatives. Lone was arrested on Sunday in Delhi.

Items Recovered

Authorities recovered ₹3,000 (INR), 2,300 Bangladeshi Taka, 5,000 Pakistani Rupees, 1,400 Nepalese Rupees, a Nepali SIM (Ncell), a keypad phone, a wallet containing a copy of his Aadhar card, and a bag with two pairs of clothes. (ANI)

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