West Bengal police nab suspected JeM operative linked to surveillance of chief minister

The Special Task Force of the West Bengal police apprehended Hamid Mondal from a housing complex in Burdwan late Thursday, alleging his affiliation with the outlawed Jaish-e-Mohammed network. Investigators recovered mobile data and documents indicating he was collecting information on chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, prompting concerns of a possible plot. Mondal is reported to be a close associate of Sajjad Bhat, identified as one of the masterminds behind the 2019 Pulwama suicide-car bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel.

He was taken before a Burdwan court on Friday. Neighbours said he had lived there with his family for about eighteen months. BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar argued that West Bengal had historically been a haven for radical Islamist groups but suggested recent ideological changes have reduced its attractiveness, while militants may now target political leaders opposing extremism.