National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval once disguised himself as a beggar to spy on Pakistan's nuclear progamme in the 1980s, according to D Devdutt’s book, ‘Ajit Doval – On a Mission‘.
In the 1980s, Doval was assigned to Islamabad, Pakistan in a posting that came with enormous risks.
Having already distinguished himself with the Intelligence Bureau and during the Sikkim mission, Doval now faced one of the most dangerous assignments of his career, according to a report in News18, citing the book.
The book, published in 2023, reveals that Pakistan was at the time determined to acquire nuclear weapons by any means necessary. India had shocked the world in 1974 with its first successful nuclear test, and in response, Pakistan embarked on an aggressive pursuit of nuclear capability. It was helped by countries like China.
India needed proof of these clandestine efforts, and Doval, known as the “Super Cop,” was entrusted with the mission, the report said.
According to the book, his objective was the Khan Research Centre in Kahuta village, near Islamabad. Outwardly, Kahuta appeared to be a simple settlement, but it concealed a heavily guarded facility at the heart of Pakistan’s nuclear programme.
Doval understood the gravity of his mission. Failure to obtain evidence from Kahuta would allow Pakistan to advance unchecked toward becoming a nuclear power.
The book recounted the extraordinary challenge of breaching the centre’s security. Doval devised an ingenious plan: he disguised himself as a beggar.
For several days, he wandered the streets of Kahuta in this disguise, accepting coins from unsuspecting passersby while keeping a sharp eye on his surroundings.
His eventually noticed a modest barber shop that was regularly visited by scientists from the Khan Research Centre, the book said. Sitting outside like any other beggar, Doval’s real focus was on the strands of hair that fell to the floor inside.
The intelligence officer quietly gathered the discarded hair from the shop and smuggled them back to India. Tests conducted on the samples revealed traces of radiation and uranium, confirming Pakistan’s secret nuclear programme.
With this evidence, India was able to expose the blueprint of Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions.
Doval lived undercover in Pakistan for six years, constantly at risk of discovery and death. His efforts gave Indian intelligence crucial insight into the extent of Pakistan’s nuclear aspirations.
By collecting those hair strands and proving the presence of uranium, he provided information that significantly delayed Pakistan’s ability to conduct a nuclear test by around 15 years, the book revealed. The mission is regarded as one of Doval’s most daring and ingenious intelligence operations.
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