Indian intelligence agencies say they are undertaking a joint operation to nab hardcore Lashkar-e-Taiba militants who have targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gatherings and assassinate other high-profile politicians in Delhi. Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Delhi Police’s special cell sleuths claim that at least four terrorists had infiltrated Jammu and Kashmir last month and were in contact with Lashkar commander Abu Dujana for logistics and ground support.
J&K police has also been roped in for the counter-terror operation and at least two of the militants have been reportedly arrested in J&K, sources said. The sources were quoted as saying that the militants had two plans. One was to carry out a mass shooting in a Paris-like attack at a gathering attended by Modi. And the other revolved around a militant, who was supposed to blow himself up if he failed to penetrate Modi’s cordon, or hurl a grenade at the crowd. If the strike at the gathering could not be executed, the operatives were asked to eliminate a high-value target in Delhi or J&K, which could have “political and communal ramifications,” they said. The operatives used the word VIP often, as heard in intercepts and mentioned in an FIR registered by the Delhi Police.
Agencies believe the strike was to be “spectacular.” Dujana, the newly appointed Lashkar commander wants to make his presence felt in the country. Sources in the intelligence agencies did not deny the possibility of al-Qaida’s Indian wing being behind the scenes.
