Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Jul 31: The Special Task Force (STF) of the West Bengal Police on Friday arrested a youth suspected to be linked to the terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) from a residential complex in Burdwan city of East Burdwan district.

According to STF sources, the accused, identified as Hamid Mandal, a resident of Kashmir, is suspected to have links with JeM. Investigators are also verifying whether the name he used is genuine or an alias.

He was arrested from a rented flat at the Renaissance Complex, a housing society near the Durgapur Expressway in Burdwan. He is expected to be produced before a court in Burdwan later in the day, where the prosecution will seek his police custody for further interrogation.

Preliminary investigation revealed that before shifting to Burdwan, the suspect had been staying in a rented accommodation in New Town on the northern outskirts of Kolkata.

According to STF sources, documents containing the daily schedule of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, along with travel details of several other VVIPs, were allegedly recovered from the suspect's possession. Investigators are probing the purpose for which the information was collected.

The STF is also examining claims that the accused had undergone training in Pakistan and allegedly worked as a JeM handler in West Bengal. Investigators suspect he was involved in radicalising Muslim youths and facilitating their travel to Pakistan for training, though these allegations are under investigation.

The investigating team has begun questioning the owners of the rented accommodations in both New Town and Burdwan to verify the identity documents submitted by the suspect while taking the properties on rent.

Security agencies are also reviewing the case in the context of existing intelligence inputs. Adhikari's security cover has been periodically reviewed and enhanced by the Union government based on central intelligence assessments indicating potential threats from extremist groups.