kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata | August 3, 2026: Security for West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has been significantly strengthened after intelligence inputs indicated a possible threat to his life from the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). According to sources in the West Bengal Police's Special Task Force (STF), the Chief Minister has started travelling in a bulletproof vehicle from Sunday evening as part of enhanced security measures.

The heightened security follows the recent arrest of two terror suspects, Hamim Mondal and his alleged associate Arpita Sarkar, by the State Police's Special Task Force. Investigators claim that both individuals were in contact with the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti network. Officials also suspect that Hamim Mondal may have had links with Jaish-e-Mohammed. Following these arrests, the state security establishment reportedly conducted a fresh review of the Chief Minister's security arrangements and decided to strengthen his protection.

Hamim Mondal was arrested on Friday morning from Bardhaman town in Purba Bardhaman district. Investigators claim that they recovered several documents from his possession containing details related to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's daily schedule, travel plans, and movement patterns. The recovery of these documents has intensified concerns among security agencies, prompting immediate action to reassess the threat perception surrounding the Chief Minister.

Hamim's alleged associate, Arpita Sarkar, has also been taken into custody. Investigators are examining allegations that both individuals were involved in activities linked to terrorist organisations. Authorities are also probing whether the accused maintained direct communication with Pakistan-based terror networks and whether any larger conspiracy was being planned.

Sources said that from Sunday evening onwards, the Chief Minister officially began using a bulletproof vehicle during his movements. On the same day, while returning to Kolkata from his ancestral residence in Contai in the Purba Medinipur district, Suvendu Adhikari travelled in the specially protected vehicle as part of the revised security protocol.

A senior police official stated that after assuming office as Chief Minister following this year's West Bengal Assembly elections, a bulletproof vehicle had already been included in his official convoy. However, the Chief Minister had generally avoided using it during public meetings and official programmes because it made direct interaction with people more difficult. According to the official, the present security threat has made the use of the bulletproof vehicle necessary despite those practical concerns.

The decision to further strengthen the Chief Minister's security has come at a particularly sensitive time. Only a few months ago, one of his close associates, Chandranath Rath, was shot dead in a shocking attack. On May 6, Chandranath Rath was allegedly murdered in Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district. According to investigators, a vehicle intercepted his car before armed assailants arriving on motorcycles opened fire from close range. Rath died on the spot, and the incident raised serious concerns about the safety of individuals closely associated with the Chief Minister.

The alleged recovery of documents containing details of the Chief Minister's movements from Hamim Mondal, coupled with investigators' claims of his suspected links to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Pakistan-based terror networks, has led security agencies to adopt stricter precautionary measures. The State Police's Special Task Force is continuing its investigation to determine the full extent of the alleged terror network, its possible objectives, and whether any planned threat targeted the Chief Minister or other public figures.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the complete findings of the investigation, and inquiries into the alleged terror links and the intelligence inputs remain ongoing. Security agencies are expected to continue monitoring the situation closely while maintaining heightened protection around the Chief Minister until the investigation reaches its conclusion.