26/11 terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed poisoned by unknown men? Here's what we know so far-

Lahore, April 8: In a significant development, Hafiz Saeed, a notorious terrorist responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, has been poisoned by unknown men in Lahore, Pakistan. He has been hospitalized in critical condition in the ICU at a Lahore hospital.

Reports suggest that the founder of the United Nations-listed terror group Lashkar-E-Taiba, Hafiz Saeed, was admitted to Mayo Hospital in Lahore after experiencing severe symptoms of food poisoning, including vomiting blood. The perpetrators behind this incident remain unknown. This news has rapidly circulated on social media platforms, with users trending the hashtag #HafizSaeed.

This comes exactly after the British media agency The Guardian published a report claiming that Indian intelligence agencies had killed about 20 people in Pakistan since 2020 as part of a broader plan to eliminate terrorists residing on foreign soil. A day after this development, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said that India will enter Pakistan to eliminate anyone who escapes over the border after carrying out terrorist activities in the country.

Also Read: 'Pakistan mein ghus kar marenge': Rajnath Singh's stern warning on cross-border terrorism

Who is Hafiz Saeed?

Hafiz Saeed was the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Along with this, Saeed has been facing conviction in seven terror financing cases. The notorious terrorist, who remains a wanted terrorist in India, has continued to operate freely from within Pakistan, even as his son, Talha Saeed, recently contested in Pakistani general elections.

Also Read: Crackdown on Lashkar-E-Taiba! Adnan Ahmed, aide of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed shot dead in Pak’s Karachi

It was also reported that Hafiz Saeed is serving a 78-year prison sentence in Pakistan, the United Nations said in its updated information. "Saeed is in (the) custody of the Government of Pakistan, serving a 78-year imprisonment sentence since 12 February 2020 as a result of conviction in seven terror financing cases," the committee said in an amended entry.

Also Read: Pakistan: Hafiz Abdul Salam Bhuttavi, a key conspirator of 26/11 Mumbai attacks & Hafiz Saeed's aide, dead

India has also formally requested Pakistan to hand over Hafiz Saeed with Indian agencies like the NIA have been involved in the case. In the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attack, Hafiz Saeed was swiftly listed under the 'United Nations Security Council Sanctions Committee on Al-Qaida and ISIL' in December 2008. The United States and the European Union have also designated him as an international terrorist. Reflecting the severity of his actions, the U.S. government had, in 2012, offered a substantial $10 million bounty for information leading to the capture of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed.