Investigation into Nagrota encounter has revealed Jaish's cyber scouting policy for recruiting Indians as overground workers in Kashmir (Representative image)

Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) recruited Indian nationals online to help carryout Pulwama-like terror attack in Kashmir. The dangerous designs of JeM were unearthed after the Nagrota encounter in which J&K Police and CRPF shot down three terrorists and arrested three over ground workers of the terror outfit.

The investigation after the Nagrota encounter, which took place on January 31 this year, has revealed that not only the group is sending in well trained and battle-hardened terrorists, it is also actively scouting for ready recruits online by looking at the social media profiles of highly radicalised youth.

Sources tell India Today TV that Jammu and Kashmir Police and subsequently the National Investigation Agency (NIA) deciphered the JeM's modus operandi when they caught 20-year-old BSc student in Chandigarh, identified as Suheel Javaid Lone.

Suheel Javaid Lone was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam on February 11, when he as visiting his family in Wagar.

The boyish good looks of Suheel did not give away to his reality, that he was a part of Jaish’s insidious plot, their Plan B for Kashmir.

Being a student in Chandigarh with temporary residence in Ambala, Suheel would have managed to stay under the radar, but for the Bann Toll Plaza encounter on January 31.

Suheel link emerged after three heavily-armed terrorists were gunned down, while three over ground workers, including Pulwama bomber’s cousin Sameer Ahmed Dar were arrested from the encounter site.

Sources said that Sameer, the truck driver and local guide, had been using the virtual private network (VPN) allowing him to circumvent internet censorship while communicating with his handlers in Pakistan.

Sameer was being directed by Jaish mastermind in Pakistan -- Commander Abu Hamza and Abu Bakr. Both are said to be running terrorist organisations from Pakistan’s Karachi, Sialkot, Lahore and PoK’s Kotli Mirpur. From there, these people keep in touch with the overground workers, operating in Kashmir.

Policemen carrying the body of terrorist killed in encounter at Nagrota. The terrorists were trying to reach Srinagar for an attack by hiding inside the truck loaded with wall putty. (PTI image)

Sources said it was on the directions from Jaish Commander Abu Hamza that Sameer took his two local aides in a truck to Basantar Nalla in Samba sector on the intervening night of January 30-31. He waited at pre-decided pickup point and moved towards Kashmir Valley, the coordinates of which were exchanged on VPN. On receiving the three Pakistani terrorists, Sameer moved towards Bann Toll.

But after the pickup, Jaish terror commander Abu Hamza failed to connect with Sameer over VPN due to poor connectivity.

Plan B of Jaish-e-Mohammed

The Pak terror group JeM had put two devious plans in motion. Apart from sending three heavy-armed terrorists, the JeM was also trying to orchestrate a Pulwama-like attack in Kashmir.

The three terrorists, picked up by Sameer Dhar, had brought a package containing a heady mix of 4-5Kg RDX. Sources said that this could have been used to re-create the Pulwama attack, in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed on February 14, 2019.

The RDX package was supposed to be dropped off at Samba. But Sameer forgot and the JeM handlers failed to connect with him over VPN.

Unable to reach Sameer Dhar, Jaish commanders called Suheel in Ambala, to communicate to Sameer via local call. Suheel passed on the instructions to Sameer. This is where Suhail's link to terror syndicate was established

Sameer told Suheel that he had forgotten to drop the "RDX consignment". He was then instructed via Suheel to drop the consignment and send coordinates. Sameer got down from the truck and hid the well-sealed RDX under a stone. And tied a red rope on it. He then took a photograph of it and sent it to the Pakistani number.

DGP Dilbagh Singh confirmed it to India Today TV. "Yes, we are aware that anti-national elements are using VPN. In Nagrota case, one accused took a picture and sent it across to his mastermind," he said.

But as the luck would have it. Sameer was arrested after the module was caught at the Bann Toll Plaza.

Online recruiting

Sources privy to the investigation said that Suheelwas inducted by Jaish after scanning of his social media profiles. They got in touch with him over Facebook. And after confirming that he was "anti-India" in his approach, he was selected.

Suhail's services became crucial to Jaish as communication blackout in Kashmir Valley made it difficult for the terror operatives to communicate. Suhail's location in Ambala made him an important link between Pak-based terrorists and Kashmir-based overground workers. He used to call his Pak handlers via WhatsApp.

A resident of Budgam in J&K, Suheel Javaid Lone is 20-year-old BSc student in Chandigarh. He was enlisted as overground worker by Pak-based terror group JeM after scanning his social media profile for anti-India leanings (Source: Facebook)

Sources said that Sameer was being paid by Jaish for his services, but Suheel was motivated to assist them due to his radical leanings.

For the past several days, terrorists sitting in Pakistan are running a network in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of overground workers through the internet in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. But, the sources say, Jaish manages to get local help from Hizb links and online recruits.