Pakistan-trained militant Javed Munshi apprehended near Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal

South 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], December 22 (ANI): Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Special Task Force (STF) of the West Bengal Police apprehended a Pakistan-trained militant near the Indo-Bangladesh border in the Canning area of West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district.

The police identified the militant as Javed Munshi, who was arrested on Saturday. Munshi had reportedly arrived in the Canning area a few days earlier, intending to exfiltrate into Bangladesh under instructions from Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operatives, the police stated.

Javed Munshi, an expert in IEDs and weapons handling, is affiliated with the banned terrorist organisation Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM). He has a history of involvement in terror-related activities, including his alleged role in the 2011 murder of Shaukat Shah, a leader of the Ahl-i-Hadith, and has served multiple jail terms on terrorism-related charges.

During preliminary interrogation, Munshi admitted to having visited Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan multiple times using fake Pakistani passports, acting on the instructions of his handlers. He is also wanted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The arrested individual has been handed over to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who will take him back to Kashmir on a transit remand to facilitate further investigation.

This operation underscores the ongoing efforts of the West Bengal Police to secure the state’s borders and mitigate potential threats to national security, according to police officials.