From Srinagar to Saudi: LeT’s ‘Khargosh’ Slips Out with Fake ID

A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, Umer Harris alias “Khargosh,” is believed to be in Saudi Arabia after allegedly fleeing India using a forged passport as investigators uncovered a wider inter-state terror network, reports PTI. According to officials, Harris used fake identity documents in the name of “Sajjad,” claiming to be a resident of Rajasthan, to secure an Indian passport and leave the country. Authorities said he may have first travelled to Indonesia before moving to Saudi Arabia sometime between 2024 and 2025. The case, initially registered by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, has been shared with central agencies and could be taken over by the National Investigation Agency.Investigators said Harris, originally from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

in Pakistan, joined the militant group to evade criminal cases against him and was later sent into Jammu and Kashmir around 2012. He earned the nickname “Khargosh” for his ability to frequently change locations and evade security forces. After entering the Kashmir Valley, he stayed in Bandipora and Srinagar and married the daughter of a suspected overground worker. Officials said the marriage, conducted in Jaipur under an assumed identity, was used to support his passport application.

The probe has raised concerns over lapses in identity verification, particularly how official documents were issued despite existing checks. Authorities are now working through diplomatic channels to trace and deport him.The revelations came after the Srinagar Police dismantled what they described as a “deep-rooted” inter-state module linked to the group. Five people have been arrested so far, including two Pakistani nationals — Abdullah alias Abu Hureira and Usman alias Khubaib — who had been active in India for years. Police said Abdullah had been evading capture for about 16 years and had helped establish networks beyond Jammu and Kashmir.

Investigators said the group used forged identities and local support systems to operate across multiple states, including Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. Three local residents from Srinagar were also arrested for allegedly providing logistical support, including shelter and movement assistance.Officials said the operation, which began on March 31, also revealed funding patterns and hideouts used by the group in forested areas near Srinagar. The arrests follow an earlier crackdown on another network linked to a university-based module uncovered in 2025.