Jaipur:
A woman has been arrested in Jaipur by Rajasthan’s Anti-Terrorism Squad over alleged connections to a sleeper cell linked to the Pakistani terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed. The arrest was made following intelligence inputs, with investigators saying the case raises concerns about online radicalisation and foreign influence operations targeting individuals within India.
The arrested woman has been identified as Babita Dhakad, also known by the alias Khadija. Originally from Gangapur, she had been residing in Jaipur at the time of her arrest and was a homemaker. She was taken into custody on Sunday.
What Was Found On Her Phone
A preliminary examination of her mobile phone revealed two SIM cards and a Facebook account containing what officials described as objectionable content, including links to foreign profiles. Her friend list on the platform reportedly included several accounts displaying flags associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terror organisations, as well as images of armed individuals.
Her WhatsApp account was also found to contain conversations with multiple Pakistani numbers and foreign contacts, according to police.
Role Of A Pakistan-Based Cleric
Investigators say a cleric based in Pakistan facilitated her religious conversion over the phone. According to sources, the cleric told her that a man named Abu-Ubaidah wished to marry her and that she was instructed to offer prayers, recite the Quran and practise the faith as part of the process.
Investigators also allege there were plans to bring her to Pakistan, with agencies suspecting she was being prepared to travel via Nepal, Saudi Arabia or the UAE.
Suspected Links To Past Terror Cases
According to sources, the woman’s name has come up in connection with a network involving individuals linked to previous terror cases, reportedly including close associates of Masood Azhar. Investigative agencies are also looking into suspected connections to the Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacking case.
It has also emerged that she is wanted in connection with an attack on an Indian Army camp near Balini Vij in Jammu on 29 November 2016, which was allegedly orchestrated by Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Qari Zarar and resulted in the deaths of six Indian Army soldiers.
ATS Superintendent of Police Manish Tripathi said the investigation was still at an early stage and that all evidence gathered so far was digital and required further verification.
“It is possible that these organisations radicalised her and ensnared her in their web; it is also possible that they intended to convert her religion. The investigation is currently in its initial stages, so we cannot yet say whether she actually converted or not. However, preliminary findings suggest that for the past six to seven months, they had been attempting to convert her and wanted to use her to orchestrate incidents in India,” Tripathi said.
He added that social media accounts linked to individuals from banned organisations had been identified. “We are currently investigating whether these are the actual key figures. We are also trying to determine if these are individuals who have previously carried out attacks, whether they are members of Jaish-e-Mohammed or affiliated organisations that have changed their names. While this remains to be confirmed, it is certain that these individuals are linked to Pakistan and Jaish,” he said.
Agencies are continuing to examine her mobile phone, social media accounts and other digital devices to determine the full extent of the network involved.
