Bengal man caught in Bengaluru trying to join Taliban to fight Pakistan and India

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Aug 15, 2026: Police in Bengaluru have detained a 25-year-old man from West Bengal for allegedly trying to establish contact with a member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and discussing plans to join the outfit and carry out retaliatory attacks against the Pakistan Army and in India.

Police identified the accused as Asafool Mallik, a native of Naopara village in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, as per a NDTV report. He was detained in the Jigani area of Bengaluru over his alleged suspicious online activities and links with terror groups.

Mallik had been living near APC Circle in Jigani and was working as a security guard at Tata Advanced Limited in the Jigani Industrial Area since December 2025.

How He Turned Terrorist

According to police, they received information about his activities while patrolling the Bommasandra Industrial Area. Officers subsequently questioned Mallik, who allegedly told them that he was angry over what he believed were atrocities by the Pakistani military against Muslims in Pakistan, including alleged attacks on mosques and civilians.

Police said Mallik also expressed anger over Pakistan’s position on the Israel-Palestine conflict. He was allegedly being encouraged to retaliate if Muslims faced difficulties in India.

Alleged Contact With TTP Member

Police claim Mallik established contact through Facebook with a person identified as Imran Haider from Afghanistan, who is suspected of being associated with the TTP.

According to investigators, Mallik sought Haider’s help to travel to Afghanistan and also applied for a visa. However, he allegedly later dropped the plan because of financial constraints and his family responsibilities.

Police then examined Mallik’s mobile phone and allegedly recovered chats between him and Haider, along with records of several voice calls and audio conversations.

Investigators are now examining the chats, recordings and other material recovered from the phone to determine the extent of Mallik’s alleged association with Haider and the TTP.

Police are also probing whether the alleged conversations involved any concrete plans for attacks in India or against the Pakistani military.