The Punjab Police have busted a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror module by arresting three suspected terrorists from Jammu and Kashmir near Amritsar. The arrests came in connection with the murder of 27-year-old Anil Kumar, an Ola cab driver from Himachal Pradesh, who went missing on August 29 from Nayagaon in Mohali.
Anil Kumar, a resident of Jogindernagar in Mandi district and settled in Nayagaon, was last seen after taking a booking from Kharar. His phone went switched off soon after, raising alarm. Despite frantic searches by family and police, Kumar remained untraceable until his body was discovered near Mohali airport.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav confirmed that multiple teams were deployed to trace the missing cab driver, which eventually led to the unravelling of a larger terror conspiracy.
“The accused were apprehended near Amritsar. During interrogation, they confessed to shooting the driver after an altercation and later dumping his body near Mohali airport,” DGP Yadav said.
The police also recovered Kumar’s Swift Dzire taxi and a .32 bore pistol used in the crime.
According to investigators, the three arrested suspects were overground workers (OGWs) of Pakistan-backed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed. Among them, Sahil Bashir was already wanted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Arms Act in Handwara, Jammu and Kashmir. His brother, Aijaz Ahmad, had earlier been arrested with a cache of arms and JeM-related material.
The Punjab Police believe the murder was not just a crime of opportunity but also linked to a broader terror operation being planned in the region.
Anil Kumar’s disappearance quickly turned into a political issue in Himachal Pradesh. BJP MLA from Joginder Nagar, Prakash Rana, raised the matter during the monsoon session of the state Assembly.
Rana revealed that Anil Kumar last spoke to his wife around 10 pm on August 29, informing her that he was heading towards the railway station. After that, there was no trace of him or his car for two days.
He also criticised the delay in filing a formal case, saying: “Anil Kumar was missing since August 29, yet no FIR was registered until August 31. The family’s desperation was ignored.”
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu responded, stating that while the victim’s family had not approached him directly, the DGP of Himachal Pradesh had been in constant touch with the Punjab Police over the case.
The arrests have sent shockwaves across Punjab and Himachal, highlighting how terror outfits like JeM continue to exploit ordinary citizens for logistics and movement. The incident has also exposed gaps in timely police response to missing person complaints, which in this case could have cost Anil Kumar his life.
Security officials are now investigating whether the accused had planned any major strikes in Punjab or the neighbouring states using Kumar’s vehicle. Meanwhile, an intensive operation is underway to track down any other associates linked to the arrested module.
The killing of Anil Kumar underscores the growing challenge of terror modules attempting to re-establish their networks in Punjab. With the recovery of weapons, vehicles, and established JeM links, the case is expected to be handed over to specialised agencies for further probe.
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