New Delhi/Islamabad: Saifullah, a senior commander of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and one of the key conspirators behind the 2006 attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur, was killed on Saturday in Pakistan’s Sindh province.

The terrorist, known by several aliases including Vinod Kumar, Mohammad Salim, Khalid, Wajid, and Salim Bhai, was reportedly gunned down in Matli taluka of Badin district in southern Sindh. Saifullah had long operated as a crucial figure within Lashkar’s network, particularly overseeing its operations in Nepal.

According to intelligence sources, Saifullah was responsible for recruiting cadres and facilitating financial support for Lashkar’s terror activities. He also played a pivotal role in infiltrating LeT operatives into India through Nepal. Operating under the alias Vinash Kumar while in Nepal, he had married a local woman, Nagma Banu, to bolster his cover.

Beyond the 2006 Nagpur plot, Saifullah was allegedly involved in several other high-profile terror incidents, including the attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Rampur in 2001 and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) attack in Bengaluru in 2005. He was considered a close associate of Lashkar’s operational commander Azam Cheema alias Babaji, a known handler of major cross-border terror missions.

His death comes amid heightened tensions following India’s recent counter-terror operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack. The operation reportedly targeted and dismantled multiple terrorist bases inside Pakistan, including Lashkar’s regional headquarters.

Security experts in New Delhi have termed Saifullah’s elimination a “significant breakthrough” in the broader fight against cross-border terrorism. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly asserted that those threatening India’s sovereignty, regardless of location, will be held accountable.

In recent years, several top terrorists involved in attacks on Indian soil have been neutralized within Pakistani territory, reflecting what officials describe as a shift in India’s counter-terror strategy towards pre-emptive and cross-border intelligence-driven action.

Further details surrounding the circumstances of Saifullah’s death remain unclear. Pakistani authorities have not issued an official statement on the incident.