Faridabad Module Part of JeM-ISI Plan on 'Homegrown' Terror Outfit
A major inter-state terror module with links to the Pakistan-backed extremist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH) has been busted in a joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Haryana Police, along with the Intelligence Bureau. The operation, which led to a massive explosives haul in Faridabad, Haryana, has revealed a disturbing plot to establish a "homegrown" terror outfit, orchestrated by the ISI, Pakistan's intelligence agency, with a shift in focus towards major Indian cities.
The investigation, which began three weeks prior to the Faridabad discovery, was triggered by JeM posters threatening "revenge attacks" in Srinagar. CCTV footage led authorities to the initial suspects, eventually uncovering a network stretching from Kashmir to the National Capital Region (NCR).
The Faridabad module was reportedly tasked with carrying out operations in J&K, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The agencies believe that the ISI is shifting its strategy, as it has not been able to make the desired inroads in Jammu and Kashmir and attacks would be focused more on major cities in India rather than Jammu and Kashmir.
So far, seven individuals have been arrested, including a Kashmiri doctor, Muzammil Shakil, who was a teacher at Al Falaha University in Faridabad. Shakil's rented accommodation in Faridabad's Dhauj village was found to contain a large cache of explosives, initially reported as RDX, but later clarified as approximately 350 kilograms of ammonium nitrate. Alongside the explosives, police recovered an AK-47 rifle and a large quantity of ammunition. A raid of his flat uncovered sacks of ammonium nitrate, sulphur, and aluminium powder, alongside timers, detonators and remote-control circuits.
Another key arrest was Dr. Adeel Majeed Rather, who previously worked as a senior resident at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag and later at a private hospital in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. A locker used by Rather at GMC Anantnag revealed a carefully concealed AK-47 rifle. Investigators believe that the two doctors were part of a "white-collar terror module" – educated, urbane individuals providing cover and logistics for the JeM-AGuH network.
The investigation has also revealed the involvement of a woman doctor named Shaheen Saeed from Uttar Pradesh, believed to be associated with other members of the module and involved in the planning stages. Furthermore, authorities are investigating the role of Imam Irfan Ahmad from Shopian, J&K, identified as the mastermind behind the radicalization of medical students within the module. Ahmad is believed to have patiently indoctrinated these students with extremist ideologies.
Adding a further dimension to the investigation is the suspected involvement of Dr. Umar Nabi, also from Pulwama. Nabi is believed to be the individual who triggered an explosion in the Red Fort area using a Hyundai i20 loaded with ammonium nitrate fuel oil. The blast resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, highlighting the deadly potential of the network.
The module's discovery has exposed a disturbing trend of educated professionals being drawn into terrorist activities. The focus on recruiting individuals with medical backgrounds suggests a deliberate strategy to leverage their skills and knowledge for nefarious purposes. The investigation continues to unfold, with authorities working to uncover the full extent of the network and prevent further attacks.
