SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested a woman doctor, Dr Shaheen Shahid, a resident of Lal Bagh, Lucknow, as the investigation into a major inter-state terror plot continues to widen. The latest arrest comes on the heels of seven previous detentions, including that of Dr Muzammil Shakil, whose use of a car registered to Dr Shaheen led to the recovery of a rifle and live cartridges by authorities. The breakthrough was part of a coordinated, multi-state crackdown targeting a suspected JeM-linked network operating in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.
Police officials told ABP Live that Dr Shaheen’s vehicle was crucial evidence in tracing logistical support provided to alleged terror operatives. The investigation has already resulted in the arrest of radicalised professionals and students believed to constitute what police describe as a “white-collar terror ecosystem.” These included highly educated individuals—doctors and academics—accused of supplying arms, bomb-making material, and logistical support to operatives of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH).
The counter-terror operation gained pace after the apprehension of Dr Muzammil Shakil, an assistant professor at Al-Falah University, Faridabad, who was found with a cache of explosives, arms, timers, and electronic circuitry. Faridabad Police and Jammu and Kashmir Police subsequently recovered around 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate, 2,900 kg of IED-making material, pistols, assault rifles (including AK-56 and Krinkov), magazines, and hundreds of live rounds from multiple locations spanning Faridabad, Srinagar, Anantnag, and Ganderbal.
Additional arrests included Arif Nisar Dar, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, Maqsood Ahmad Dar, Molvi Irfan Ahmad, Zameer Ahmad Ahanger, Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, and Dr Adeel from Kulgam. Police said these operatives were not only in contact with foreign handlers but were also raising funds and recruiting others for the group’s activities via professional and academic circles. The investigations have revealed that funds were moved using encrypted channels disguised as charitable donations and academic collaboration.
Jammu and Kashmir Police have maintained that the dismantling of the module prevented a potentially catastrophic terror attack, citing the sheer scale of arms and explosives recovered. Intelligence inputs indicated the network may have scouted high-profile targets in Delhi and Lucknow, further amplifying security concerns in the NCR.
Authorities have described the investigation as ongoing, noting that further arrests and seizures remain possible as they untangle the full extent of the network’s operations.
