JeM operative plotted attack on Suvendu Adhikari, Jantar Mantar sabotage — how girlfriend's social media led STF to him

An alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed operative, Mohammed Hamim Mondal, has been arrested by the West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) for allegedly plotting to target West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and carry out sabotage at a student protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Mondal, who was arrested in Purba Bardhaman district, was reportedly working on behalf of Pakistan-based handlers.

The STF discovered that Mondal had been tasked with monitoring Adhikari's movements and gathering information on his unguarded moments. Additionally, Mondal had plans to infiltrate the Jantar Mantar protest after obtaining a police uniform. The STF further revealed that Mondal's girlfriend, Arpita Sarkar, conspired with him to honey-trap a son of a West Bengal minister of state, abduct him, and extort money from his family.

Both suspects were discovered through their social media activity, with Mondal communicating via encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Element X, and Session. The investigation is ongoing, with more arrests expected as the STF seeks to unravel the full extent of the alleged terror network and its cross-border connections.