Later that day, he was to meet Abu-Muzammil, Abu-Lakhvi’s deputy, in Kathmandu’s Serai Residency Hotel in Thamel. Babar himself had arrived in Kathmandu the night before and had checked into another hotel in Thamel, Lhasa Suites. Abu-Muzammil had come to Kathmandu from Karachi to inform Babar about the latest operation to avenge the Gujarat riots.

At 2 p.m. that afternoon, Abu-Muzammil and Babar were seated on the balcony of Abu-Muzammil’s room on the second floor of the Serai Residency.

‘In Pune’s Rajmahal area lies Himalaya Bhavan, which is spread across sixty acres. It contains several one-room flats, an auditorium, a museum, lecture halls and meditation centres. There are no apparent signs of weapons being stored there or armed men on guard inside the complex. And yet, despite the peace and calm that prevails around Himalaya Bhavan, it is the headquarters of the violence perpetrated by Hindu groups. Keshavgiri is the headquarters of the BVP, the so-called vanguard of that community,’ Abu-Muzammil told Babar.

‘The plans for riots and the harassment of our community, and at times Christian missionaries, are given shape at Himalaya Bhavan. We suspect that the BVP was involved in the Gujarat riots along with other such right-wing outfits,’ he continued.

‘They must pay for what they have done. We will storm into Himalaya Bhavan and flatten it, kill all there. Our ISI handler has given his go-ahead to this project of ours as well,’ Abu-Muzammil declared.

There was a twinkle in Babar’s eyes on hearing Abu-Muzammil’s diatribe. ‘Tell me what the plan is, janaab.’

‘You will reach Pune in two days. A room will be booked for you at the Chancellor Hotel in Baner,’ Abu-Muzammil instructed him. ‘Three days from today, two mujahideen will meet you at the hotel. Rohit, who is a computer expert, and Sahil, a practitioner of unani medicine. Both did well in the Daura-e-Khaas and Baitul Rizwan courses and are promising boys. They have conducted a recce on Keshavgiri and will update you.’

Babar nodded.

Abu-Muzammil then stood up and walked back into the room. He was a tall man and walked with a slight limp due to an old bullet injury sustained in his right leg during his five-year stint in Kashmir for LeT.

Babar could hear him on the phone, asking for ‘Akbar’.

Two minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Abu-Muzammil opened it and ushered in three young men in pathani suits.

‘Babar, meet Akbar, Sohail and Irfan. They came with me on the PIA flight from Karachi, posing as my employees. I came here as the head of a carpet manufacturing firm, seeking clients in Kathmandu,’ Abu-Muzammil introduced the men.

‘These three were the best trainees at Bayt al-Mujahideen. They will go with you to Pune. The operation will happen on 11 February, Babar. Let India suffer on the day they hanged Maqbool Bhat,’ Abu-Muzammil said, his voice rising.