West Bengal Chief Minister Claims Threat from Jaish-e-Mohammed

Deependra Singh July 31, 2026, 11:34 pm 2 min read

Kolkata, July 31: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated on Friday that he, along with another member of the West Bengal Cabinet, is under threat from the terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

His comments came in response to the arrest of a suspected JeM member, Hamim Mandal, in Burdwan city, located in the East Bardhaman district. Initially, local police misidentified the arrested individual as Hamid Mandal but later corrected the name.

Officials from the Special Task Force (STF) suspect that the arrested JeM member may have targeted the Chief Minister, as objectionable documents related to his schedule were recovered from him.

The Chief Minister emphasized that this issue extends beyond personal security; it also involves national security. He stated, “It is not appropriate for me to comment further on this matter. The STF will provide information to the media.” He also mentioned that state minister Umesh Rai is under suspicion. “Please refrain from asking me more questions. This is a very sensitive issue. Only the STF will inform the media about it,” he added.

He remarked that politics and other professions can only thrive when national security is assured. “If the country is safe, everything else will remain intact. Politics will continue, and the nation will endure. You will remain in your professions, and we will continue in public life. The country comes first,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, sources familiar with the case revealed that the arrested JeM suspect had direct contact with the Sajjad Bhatt group in Kashmir. Bhatt is the main accused in the Pulwama attack and is believed to be a close associate of Hamim.

The central government has periodically reviewed and upgraded Adhikari’s security arrangements, even during his tenure as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly under the previous Trinamool Congress government.

According to central intelligence reports, he has been on the target list of radical organizations.