Delhi on high alert ahead of Hanuman Jayanti after LeT suspect’s arrest

Police have heightened security across Delhi ahead of Hanuman Jayanti, three days after the arrest of suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handler Shabir Ahmed Lone, who was allegedly planing terror strikes in the capital, official sources said on Wednesday.

They said during Lone’s interrogation, police got to know that he was collecting videos and photos of some major temples in Delhi.

Lone was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on March 29. He has allegedly confessed that three famous temples in the city were potential targets.

“Lone had conducted reconnaissance of several locations with high footfall, including temples and crowded markets, in order to revive a terror network,” a source said.

Among the locations he filmed were the Chhatarpur Temple, Kalkaji Temple and Lotus Temple. He also recorded visuals of busy public areas, such as Connaught Place and the Lajpat Nagar market, which were allegedly intended to be shared with operatives in Pakistan.

Describing him as a “hardcore and highly-trained terrorist”, police said Lone had established links with handlers operating on behalf of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

“Security has been heightened across Delhi ahead of the religious processions and gatherings scheduled for Hanuman Jayanti, with particular attention to sensitive routes and major temples,” a senior police officer said.

He added that surveillance has been enhanced through CCTV cameras, drones and local intelligence across the national capital.

Lone, who was previously arrested in 2007 in connection with terror activities, was apprehended by the Special Cell’s New Delhi Range on March 29 in a case linked to a recently-unearthed LeT module. Police recovered foreign currencies and other incriminating material during his arrest.

The sources said Lone was in touch with operatives through the social media, frequently changing identities and allegedly attempting to recruit youngsters through routes spanning Bangladesh, Nepal and India.

Meanwhile, police have made elaborate arrangements in northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, an area that witnessed violence during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in 2022. Police have capped the number of participants in religious processions to 500 and imposed a complete ban on carrying weapons in the area during such events. A police officer said a meeting of the Aman Committee was also held in Jahangirpuri to ensure communal harmony ahead of the festival.

In 2022, several people, including police personnel, were injured in stone-pelting and incidents of arson during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in the area.

Police said patrolling — both on motorcycles and on foot — has been intensified in sensitive areas, markets, temples and along procession routes to maintain law and order.