Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar

Srinagar, May 17: A Pakistani terrorist arrested in Jammu and Kashmir allegedly paused his terror activities to undergo a hair transplant procedure in Srinagar, officials said on Sunday.

The case is currently being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

According to officials, the arrested terrorist, identified as Mohammed Usman Jatt alias ‘Chinese’, is a resident of Lahore and a trained operative of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

During interrogation, Jatt reportedly told investigators that he had infiltrated into Kashmir through the northern part of the Valley with instructions to carry out terror attacks.

Officials said he was active in terror-related activities in north and central Kashmir. However, during questioning, he allegedly claimed that his perception changed after witnessing normal daily life in Kashmir, which he said was different from what he had been told during terror training camps in Pakistan.

Jatt was arrested early last month by the Srinagar Police along with Abdullah alias Abu Hureira, described by officials as one of the longest-surviving LeT operatives.

Investigators said the duo had allegedly been tasked with setting up sleeper terror bases outside Jammu and Kashmir, prompting the case to be transferred to the NIA due to its national and international implications.

During interrogation, Jatt reportedly revealed that he had long suffered from severe hair loss, which affected his confidence. While staying in the upper reaches of Srinagar, he allegedly came in contact with Pakistani terrorists identified as Zargam and Abu Hureira.

Officials said he was later introduced to a shop owner considered part of the terror group’s Over Ground Worker (OGW) network. During conversations with the shop owner, Jatt allegedly learned about hair transplant procedures and requested assistance in undergoing treatment.

He was subsequently taken to a clinic in Srinagar for the procedure and reportedly stayed overnight there on some occasions.

Police said information provided by Jatt helped investigators uncover a wider network of OGWs operating in north Kashmir and Srinagar city.

After the hair transplant procedure, Jatt allegedly travelled by passenger vehicle to Jammu and later boarded a sleeper bus to Malerkotla.

Officials said he spent time there watching Turkish television shows and attempting to learn English.

According to investigators, Jatt also disclosed plans to obtain forged Indian identity documents including an Aadhaar card, PAN card and passport in an attempt to flee India, similar to another Pakistani operative identified as Umar alias Khargosh.

Officials alleged that Umar, originally from Karachi, infiltrated India after 2012 and later escaped using forged travel documents procured from Jaipur in 2024 before reportedly moving to Indonesia and later to a Gulf country.

The development comes months after the Srinagar Police busted the so-called Al Falah module in November 2025. Investigators had then uncovered an alleged radicalised network involving educated professionals, including doctors.

One of the accused in that case, Dr Umer-un Nabi from Al Falah University, was accused of driving an explosives-laden vehicle that exploded outside Red Fort on November 10 last year, killing more than a dozen people.