Security agencies in Bihar have sounded a statewide alert after intelligence data suggested that three suspected jihad terrorists belonging to the Pakistan-based jihad group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) had infiltrated India through the porous Indo-Nepal border. Police have released sketches of the suspects and launched an extensive search.
According to senior police officials, central intelligence agencies alerted the Bihar police on the night of Wednesday, August 27, that the Islamic terrorists, Hasnain Ali, Adil Hussain, and Mohammad Usman, had crossed into Indian territory via Nepal, taking advantage of the long and largely unguarded border. The Indian state of Bihar shares over 700 kilometers of open border with Nepal, making it a vulnerable entry point for infiltration and smuggling activities.
Sketches of the three suspects have been prepared based on intelligence reports and shared with district police units, railway stations, bus depots, and other public areas. Special focus is being laid on Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, and border districts where movement across Nepal is common. Photos and passport details were also circulated later for extensive monitoring. Security personnel have been instructed to maintain a strict vigil at hotels, lodges, transport hubs, and religious sites. Random vehicle checks have been intensified on national highways and inter-district routes.
Sources indicate that both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) have been closely monitoring cross-border terror movements. Authorities are actively searching for the suspects, raising concerns about potential terror plots being planned within the state. There is suspicion that the Jaish operatives intended to carry out a significant strike in Bihar, though this has not been officially confirmed.
The Bihar Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station immediately. This is not the first time Bihar has come into the sights of jihad terror networks.
In the past, agencies have flagged the Nepal border route as a soft entry point for jihadists, arms, and counterfeit currency. With upcoming festivals and public gatherings, the latest alert has prompted heightened surveillance across the state.
Security agencies in Nepal have been sounding the alarm over a growing threat of Islamic State (ISIS)-linked activity in the country for quite some time now. While the Himalayan nation has remained free of direct Islamic violence, recent intelligence and policy discussions reveal a noticeable uptick in regional risk.
In 2024, Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Singapore flagged concerning ties between a senior Nepal Police officer and individuals who were suspected of terrorism financing and were linked to ISIS. Interpol had also urged the Nepal Police to investigate this case thoroughly, prompting a broader scrutiny of potential jihadist networks operating domestically. The authorities had taken the warning seriously and were reportedly conducting an internal investigation into the officer’s interactions, possibly indicating deeper connections to ISIS within Nepal’s security apparatus.
Experts have long cautioned that while Nepal has not faced major attacks, its porous borders and growing madrasa infrastructure in the Terai region make it vulnerable. The Kathmandu Post noted how jihadist groups exploit hardline Islamic teachings through imported rhetorical influences in religious schools, potentially sowing seeds for jihad recruitment over time.
During a high-level seminar organized by the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE) on “Terrorism in South Asia: Challenges to Regional Peace and Security,” Dr. Minendra Rijal, former Defense Minister of Nepal, cautioned that “a terrorist attack on India will have spillover effects on Nepal.” The seminar followed the April 2025 Pahalgam attack that left 26 civilians, including a Nepali national, dead. They emphasized the need to reinforce cross-border coordination, intelligence sharing, and surveillance capacity.
All these developments mark a pivotal shift. Nepal’s strategic location, open terrain, and growing religious infrastructure make mitigating such risks even more critical. One can’t overlook the notable rise in Islamic institutions in Nepal in recent years, signaling a growing influence of religious infrastructure, particularly in the border Terai region.
According to the 2021 Nepal Census, Muslims now comprise approximately 5.09% of Nepal’s population, up from 4.39% in 2011, representing the fastest-growing religious group in the country. This shift is reflected in spiritual architecture; villages in bordering districts have seen a 25% increase in mosques and madrasas between 2011 and 2021.
As of mid-2025, Nepal is home to approximately 1,409 mosques. Meanwhile, estimates suggest there are approximately 4,000 madrasas across the country, though only about 900 are officially recognized; the rest operate without government registration. This demographic shift, along with the introduction of Islamic infrastructure, hints at a growing institutionalized Islamic presence, particularly in border regions, raising questions about Nepal’s evolving religious and social landscape.
Though Nepal has not experienced a targeted ISIS attack yet, these emerging signs, spanning potential insider links, jihad recruitment pathways, and regional spillover risk, collectively raise serious concerns for the tiny Hindu-majority nation and its neighboring countries such as India.
Isabella Hale says
I hope the CIA and INTERPOL and they are on the 10 most wanted list and they are caught asap
࿗Infidel࿘ says
India needs to support the Hindu democratic movement in Nepal that’s demanding a return of the old monarchy. Under that regime, Nepal was peaceful, not a vassal of Beijing (as it is under the communists) and islam had absolutely zero presence in Nepal
Of course, that assumes that the Indian government recognizes jihad as a threat, rather than as their “same DNA” brothers