A high-profile Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, identified as Umer Harris and known by the alias ‘Khargosh’ (rabbit), is believed to have successfully fled India and is now located in Saudi Arabia. Officials revealed on Sunday that Harris managed to escape the country by utilizing a forged passport. The document was issued under the name Sajjad, with a claimed residency in Rajasthan, highlighting significant systemic security vulnerabilities. The Srinagar Police, currently leading the investigation into an inter-state LeT terror module, has shared critical details with central intelligence agencies, raising alarms about the ease with which such illicit activities can be facilitated. While the case, initially registered by the Jammu and Kashmir Police earlier this month, is anticipated to be transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), information has also been disseminated to relevant state police forces to enable swift action and address the identified security gaps.
Information reaching TahirRihat.com suggests that contrary to earlier reports, Umer Harris is not from Karachi as initially believed, but originates from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. His affiliation with the LeT reportedly stemmed from a desire to evade prosecution for several arson cases pending against him in Karachi. He was subsequently infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir by the terror organization in 2012. The alias ‘Khargosh’ was earned due to his remarkable ability to move swiftly between locations, evading security forces. Investigations and interrogations of individuals apprehended in connection with the terror module have revealed that Harris, after entering the Kashmir Valley from the north, resided in various areas of Bandipora and Srinagar. He further cemented his presence by marrying the daughter of an LeT Over Ground Worker (OGW). The marriage ceremony itself was conducted in Jaipur under his assumed identity as Sajjad, and crucially, the marriage documents were subsequently used to support his application for an Indian passport. The unravelling of this extensive inter-state terror network by the Srinagar Police has exposed a series of critical loopholes, particularly questioning how a passport was issued by authorities in Rajasthan despite established police verification procedures.
The LeT terrorist’s escape route reportedly led him first to Indonesia, from where he is believed to have used another forged travel document to reach Saudi Arabia sometime between 2024 and 2025, according to officials. Efforts are currently underway through diplomatic channels to secure his return to India and to facilitate his deportation from the Gulf nation. These revelations emerged in the wake of the Srinagar Police successfully dismantling a “deep-rooted” inter-state LeT module, which led to the arrest of five individuals. Among those apprehended was a Pakistani terrorist, Abdullah alias Abu Hureira, who had been evading authorities for 16 years and had managed to establish bases outside the Union Territory. The capture of Abdullah, alongside another Pakistani national, Usman alias Khubaib, marked a significant success for the Srinagar Police, occurring approximately six months after the disruption of a “white-collar” terror cell operating out of Faridabad’s Al Falah University. During his interrogation, Abdullah provided crucial details regarding his and Harris’ movements across India, with a particular focus on their activities in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab. This included information about the marriage ceremony, following which the bride’s father was detained, as he was reportedly aware of the Pakistani terrorist’s true identity. The operation in Srinagar, which commenced on March 31 and was closely monitored by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, has shed light on the financial and funding mechanisms employed by the LeT. The terrorists were found to have utilized forged documents and fabricated identities to establish a network that extended beyond Jammu and Kashmir into several other Indian states.
Among the five individuals arrested in Srinagar were three local residents: Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid Bha, and Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Mama. They are accused of providing essential support, including shelter, sustenance, and logistical assistance, to the terrorists. The intricate network began to unravel on March 31 with the arrest of Naqeeb Bhat from the Pandach area, who was found in possession of a pistol and other incriminating materials. During his subsequent questioning, Bhat confessed to his involvement with the LeT, admitting to procuring arms and ammunition from an associate, Adil Rashid of Zakoora, and providing support to foreign terrorists. This led investigators to Mir and Rashid Bhat, both identified as active associates of the LeT in Srinagar. The investigation also resulted in the discovery and busting of various hideouts located in forested regions in and around Srinagar, based on disclosures made by the arrested individuals. The two Pakistani terrorists, Abdullah and Usman, are classified as ‘A+’ grade militants. Officials indicated that they infiltrated India approximately 16 years ago and remained active across multiple districts in the Kashmir Valley, reportedly commanding a contingent of around 40 foreign terrorists over the years, the majority of whom have since been neutralized. The dismantling of this inter-state LeT module follows closely on the heels of the exposure of the ‘Al Falah module’ in November 2025, where a Srinagar police investigation uncovered a network comprised of highly educated professionals, predominantly doctors, who had been radicalized to engage in terrorist activities.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.
