The investigation into the Red Fort blast on Monday (10 November) has led to the arrest of a woman doctor in connection with the Faridabad explosives case. Police from Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana recovered 2,900 kilos of explosives, including 350 kilos of ammonium nitrate, from Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, also known as Musaib, a doctor from Pulwama, Kashmir, who is suspected to have terror links.
Dr Shaheen Shahid has now been arrested for allegedly being part of a terror network operating across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. She has been taken to Srinagar for questioning.
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Who is Dr. Shaheen Shahid?
Dr. Shaheen Shahid is a former medical college lecturer who once had a bright career ahead. Investigators now describe her as an important part of a “white-collar” terror module connected to the Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). She was arrested in Faridabad last week after the Red Fort car blast in Delhi exposed a large multi-state terror network.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the case. Investigators are focusing on Dr. Shaheen’s alleged role in helping JeM expand its presence in India.
Early investigations suggest that Dr. Shaheen was given the responsibility of setting up and leading the new women’s wing of the banned group in India, called Jamaat-ul-Momineen.
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Security officials believe this alleged order came from Sadia Azhar, the sister of JeM founder Masood Azhar, who runs the women’s wing in Pakistan.
Dr. Shaheen reportedly communicated secretly with handlers across the border and used her professional connections to spread the group’s influence and recruit new members.
Dr. Shaheen was arrested on November 11 after two other doctors: Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganai and Dr. Umar U Nabi-from Faridabad’s Al-Falah University were detained. Together, they formed the main group behind the inter-state network connected to the Red Fort blast.
The trail after the Red Fort blast
The investigation began in mid-October when JeM posters appeared in Srinagar. After several arrests, Dr. Muzammil was caught in Faridabad on November 8, leading to the recovery of a large amount of explosives and an AK-47 rifle.
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As per a report of Zee News, during questioning, Dr. Muzammil revealed Dr. Shaheen’s involvement. Officials claim she used her position as a doctor to avoid suspicion. An AK-47 rifle with live bullets was found in her car, which was often used by Dr. Muzammil, suggesting she provided logistical help.
After her arrest, a joint team from the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad and Jammu and Kashmir Police raided her home in Lucknow’s Lalbagh on Tuesday. Police found mobile phones, a hard disk, and documents. Her younger brother, Dr. Parvez Ansari, also a doctor, was taken by the UP ATS for questioning.
