More than a month after a suicide blast by the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) that killed 44 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pulwama district, the Special Cell of the Delhi police arrested JeM operative Sajjad Khan from the Capital’s Red Fort area late on Thursday night. On direction of his handlers sitting across the border, the terrorist had come to establish sleeper cells in national Capital.

Sajjad Khan had carried reconnaissance of vital installations in the National Capital and had met certain individuals in the city to cement base of the banned terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Sources said, all those who were in touch with Sajjad have been identified and more arrests are likely.

Sajjad Khan (27), a resident of terrorism infested Tral area of Pulwama was arrested near the Lajpat Rai market late on Thursday night. Sajjad Khan, a close associate of Pulwama attack mastermind 23-year-old Mudasir Ahmed Khan had been masquerading as a shawl seller in national Capital. Mudasir was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir recently.

Suspecting the accused terrorist being a part  of the conspiracy and susequent attack on CRPF convoy at Pulwama, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had recently registered a case in which Sajjad along with Mudasir Khan was named as accused. Delhi’s Patiala House court on Friday had sent JeM terrorist Sajjad to NIA custody till March 29.

“On March 21, specific inputs were received regarding the JeM operative who will be coming to Red Fort red light area following which police team swung into action and a trap was laid. Subsequently, he was nabbed by the police team,” said Pramod Singh Kushwaha, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Special Cell.  

“During interrogation the accused revealed that he had been specially sent to Delhi to carry out reconnaissance of important targets and to set up a hideout in Delhi. This has been done to select specific targets and also to radicalize and recruit Muslim youth from Uttar Pradesh and other states. He was also tasked to provide them weapon training, explosives and field craft. The JeM had also assigned him to raise funds and collect weapons. Sajjad Khan was staying under the guise of a Shawl vendor in city,” said the DCP.

“After 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district after a JeM terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into their bus, which was part of a convoy going to Srinagar from Jammu on February 14, Mudasir contacted Sajjad on whatsapp and informed him about the attack on CRPF convoy. Mudasir sent him Sajjad a video of Adil Dar - the fidayeen who carried out the attack and later deleted it from his phone on same day,” said the DCP.

“Mudasir instructed Sajjad to spot young Kashmiri youths for ‘Fidayeen’ attacks. Sajjad then motivated and recruited Bilal, a resident of Gadpora in Jammu and Kashmir and Tanveer, a resident of Midura in Tral,” said the DCP.

 “Sajjad’s two brothers were slain JeM terrorists. The three brothers were initially engaged in stone pelting. In February 2015, Sajjad’s brother Ishfaq was arrested under Public Safety Act (PSA) for stone pelting and remained in Srinagar jail for about nine months,” said the DCP.

“In Srinagar jail, Ishfaq came in contact with JeM terrorist Noor Mohammad Tantarey. In 2017, Tantarey died in an exchange of fire with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. After his release from the jail, Ishfaq initially worked as an over ground worker for JeM and later turned into an active JeM terrorist,” said the DCP. 

“He remained active for about 18 months but died in an exchange of fire with security forces on April 25, 2018 in Lam in Tral, Pulwama along with two Pakistan terrorists. After his death, Mudasir Khan used to frequently visit his residence in Pulwama and motivated Showkat and Sajjad Ahmad Khan to join the JeM,” said the DCP. 

“By the end of June 2018, Showkat also joined the JeM. Showkat also subsequently died in an exchange of fire with the security forces in September 2018 in Chan in Tral, Pulwama along with Usman Haider, the nephew of Maulana Masood Azhar and son of terrorist Ibrahim Azhar - younger brother of terrorist Masood Azhar and mastermind of IC-814 hijacking to Kandahar,” the DCP said.

“After the death of Showkat, Mudassir started visiting the residence of Sajjad more frequently and motivated Sajjad to work as JeM Cadre. Sajjad initially provided information about movement of convoys and cordon and search operations carried by Army,” said the DCP.

The crackdown comes as part of a series on ongoing operations in Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi, with Mudassir Khan being the latest to be gunned down.