Bengal terror module: How alleged JeM operative plotted to disrupt Jantar Mantar protest

New Delhi: Suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed operative Mohammad Hamim Mondal planned to sabotage the Cockroach Janta Party-led protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET (UG) examination at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, a senior police officer said on Saturday.

The West Bengal Special Task Force arrested Mondal from Bardhaman earlier this week. Police alleged that he planned to obtain a police uniform and use it during the protest to carry out sabotage.

Jantar Mantar plot

Inspector General of Police for the Special Task Force Gaurav Sharma said Mondal also planned to target police officers and politicians.

“There was a plan to somehow procure a police uniform and carry out sabotage at the recent students’ protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Besides that, several police officers and politicians were also planned to be targeted,” Sharma told a press conference in Kolkata.

Police claimed that Mondal had links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and acted on instructions from handlers based in the neighbouring country.

Politicians allegedly targeted

Investigators also accused Mondal of plotting to target West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and other BJP leaders. They alleged that he planned to honey-trap politicians and extort money from them.

Police said Mondal worked with Arpita Sarkar, who was arrested from Jharkhand’s Sahibganj district on Friday. Sharma said they had known each other for four years and later entered a relationship.

“A few days ago, we received information about a plan to extort money from a senior politician from Howrah and abduct his son through a honey-trap. We were told that an organisation was behind the conspiracy. That led us to a social media handle from Sahibganj, which was being operated by one Arpita Sarkar,” he said.

Pakistan links investigated

The STF suspects that Mondal first contacted his alleged handlers through Instagram before shifting conversations to WhatsApp and Telegram.

Investigators said he communicated with people identified as Rana, Uzair, Abid Jatt 333 and Hamad. Police suspect they have links with the Shahzad Bhatti gang.

“During the investigation of his mobile phone and social media chat history, we have found some very disturbing information. He was in touch with several Pakistan-based handlers through encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram,” Sharma said.

The STF now seeks to identify other suspected members of the alleged terror module and determine the full extent of its network.