In a major anti-terror breakthrough, a joint team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Haryana Police busted an interstate terror module linked to banned terrorist organisations and recovered more than 2,900 kilograms of suspected ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in making explosives, along with an assault rifle and a large cache of arms from doctors associated with a medical college in Haryana’s Faridabad, officials said.
Following the recovery of 360 kg of ammonium nitrate, an additional 2,500 kg of the explosive-making chemical was seized. Officials said there was a conspiracy to terrorise Delhi using hundreds of powerful IEDs made from the recovered material.
One of the doctors, Dr Muzamil Shakeel, employed at the medical college, was arrested after police recovered the chemicals from a house rented by him near Al Falah Hospital on Sunday. A Krinkov assault rifle was also found in a car belonging to a woman doctor working at the same hospital. She has been detained for questioning.
The woman has been identified as Dr. Shaheen, a resident of Lal Bagh, Lucknow. According to officials, the car belonging to Dr. Shaheen Shahid was being used by Dr. Muzammil. It was from this car that a rifle and live cartridges were recovered.
Another doctor, Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, was earlier arrested from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly putting up posters in support of the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar. Sunday’s raid was conducted based on crucial leads obtained during his interrogation.
An imam (chief cleric) of a mosque in Faridabad, identified as Ishtiyaq, who was in regular contact with Muzammil, has also been arrested by the probe team, officials added. A search operation is currently ongoing in and around Faridabad for another doctor suspected to be part of the alleged network.
The seized items include one assault rifle with three magazines and 83 live rounds, one pistol with eight live rounds, two empty cartridges, two additional magazines, eight large suitcases, four small suitcases, and the suspected explosive chemical. Police also recovered 20 timers with batteries, 24 remote controls, five kilograms of heavy metal, walkie-talkie sets, electric wiring, batteries, and other contraband materials. The Maruti Swift car belonging to the woman doctor has been seized.
Investigations revealed that Dr Shakeel had rented a room in the Dhoj area of Faridabad, where the ammonium nitrate was stored. The chemical, delivered about 15 days ago, was concealed in eight large and four small suitcases. Police had earlier recovered an AK-47 rifle and ammunition from a locker belonging to Dr Rather in the Kashmir Valley.
Faridabad Commissioner Satender Kumar Gupta said police said that Shakeel was also wanted in connection with putting up posters supporting terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar.
‘WHITE-COLLAR TERROR ECOSYSTEM’
Officials said the arrests in Faridabad are part of a larger anti-terror operation that has been underway for the past few days, targeting what police described as a ‘white-collar terror ecosystem’, linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGUH). The crackdown has led to multiple arrests, primarily from various locations across Jammu and Kashmir.
“The investigation has revealed a white collar terror ecosystem, involving radicalised professionals and students in contact with foreign handlers, operating from Pakistan and other countries,” the Jammu and Kashmir said in a statement.
According to investigators, the group had been using encrypted communication channels for indoctrination, coordination, fund movement, and logistics. Funds were allegedly raised through professional and academic networks, under the guise of social or charitable causes.
“The accused were found involved in identifying persons, to radicalise, initiate and recruit them to terrorist ranks, besides raising funds, arranging logistics, procurement of arms/ammunition and material for preparing IEDs,” the officials added.
Officials described the current recovery as one of the largest seizures of explosive materials linked to the Kashmir Valley in recent years.
Police sources said more recoveries and arrests are expected as security agencies continue to track the network responsible for smuggling and storing arms and explosives outside the Union Territory.
The accused have been booked under Sections 7 and 25 of the Arms Act and Sections 13, 28, 38, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
– Ends
Tune In
