Rahil Sheikh, the alleged LeT militant

NEW DELHI: Rahil Sheikh, the alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba militant who managed to escape when a joint team of the Delhi and Mumbai police raided his residence in Mumbai this past May, is suspected to have fled to Pakistan. He is also suspected to be involved in the conspiracy behind the serial blasts on Mumbai trains this July.

The Delhi police received inputs about Rahil's activities and whereabouts from Feroz Abdul Latif Ghaswala of Mahim in Mumbai, and his accomplice, Mohammad Ali Chippa of Ahmedabad, after they were arrested at Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station here in May. At their instance, the police also gunned down a Pakistani militant in an encounter.

Investigations revealed that Rahil, who is in his mid-twenties, lived with his mother, sister and two brothers in a flat on Grant Road in Mumbai.

After his father passed away, Rahil started attending meetings called by extremist leaders, mostly those owing allegiance to Ahl-e-Hadis who encouraged young men to join ``jihad." Living away from home for long durations, he began working for LeT in 1999.

He won the confidence of senior LeT militants and was entrusted with the task of recruiting young men for operations against India.

"Brainwashing youngsters"

According to the police, Rahil managed to brainwash scores of youngsters and sent them to Pakistan via Bangladesh, Nepal and Iran for training in terrorist camps. Rahil also facilitated Ghaswala's training in Bangladesh, from where he was sent to Pakistan for advanced training.

It has come to light that from Mumbai itself, Rahil had allegedly initiated young men into extremism. His links across Maharashtra and Gujarat helped him in the enrolment. Rahil had allegedly been to Jammu and Kashmir to attend LeT meetings.

Identity card recovered

In May, when the police raided his residence, Rahil managed to flee. The police recovered an identity card showing him to be a member of an Uttar Pradesh-based political party. However, they have not come across any other strong evidence indicating that he had links in Uttar Pradesh. It is learnt that they also found a diary containing some telephone numbers in Srinagar.

The police believe that Rahil succeeded in brainwashing young men and would remain in contact with them even after they were lodged in jail.

He was in regular touch with some of his friends lodged in the Yerwada Jail in Pune in connection with cases under the Explosives Act.

After he fled his residence, the police suspect that he sneaked into Bangladesh from where he travelled to Pakistan.

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