Notorious Narco-Terror Kingpin Nabbed in J&K
Abdul Rashid Bhat’s arrest disrupts LeT’s terror network.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) arrested Abdul Rashid Bhat, a notorious narco-terror operative, in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday. Bhat, a resident of Padgampora in Awantipora, had been evading capture for over two years in connection with a 2022 narco-terror case and was declared a proclaimed offender by the court under FIR 19/2022. His arrest marks a significant blow to a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)-operated narco-terror module backed by Pakistan-based handlers, according to the SIA.
The SIA spokesperson revealed that Bhat, the third absconder apprehended in this case, was part of a sophisticated network smuggling narcotics and arms across the Line of Control (LoC) in the Karnah sector. These contraband items were transported and sold throughout the Kashmir Valley, with the proceeds funneled to fuel terrorist activities in the region. “This module’s operations were designed to sustain the waning terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir,” the spokesperson stated, highlighting the arrest’s impact on disrupting terror financing.
The SIA has already filed multiple charge sheets in the case, and Bhat’s arrest is expected to unravel critical links in the terror network. “We hope to gather more evidence to strengthen the ongoing trial,” the spokesperson added. The operation underscores the SIA’s relentless pursuit of narco-terror operatives, with previous raids in 2023 targeting Bhat’s residence alongside other suspects in Anantnag, Budgam, and Baramulla.
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This arrest comes amidst heightened security operations in J&K, following a deadly encounter in Kulgam on Monday that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two terrorists. As the SIA intensifies its crackdown, Bhat’s capture signals a resolute step toward dismantling Pakistan-backed terror modules and restoring stability in the region.
