Terror plot: Who are the 4 arrested doctors and the suspected suicide bomber?
Who are the five doctors — one of them dead — under the scanner for allegedly being terrorists? At least four of them were allegedly part of the White-Collar Terror Module
Terror seems to have a new face in India: White-collar professionals respected worldwide for their reputation for saving lives — doctors.
In less than a week, four doctors, apparently radicalised by Pakistan-based terror groups, have been arrested across northern and western India, while a fifth one has been accused of being the “suicide bomber” who was allegedly responsible for 11 other deaths caused by the car explosion near Delhi’s iconic Red Fort on Monday (November 10) evening.
This so-called “White-Collar Terror Module”, active since mid-2024, allegedly funnelled funds via hawala networks and recruited via online jihadist forums. And at the centre of it is a name that has been associated with at least three of these five suspects — Al Falah Hospital at Dhauj village in Haryana’s Faridabad, some 45 km from Red Fort.
Also read: Red Fort blast probed as terror attack, Kashmir doctors under lens
The website of the Al Falah University says that “Al-Falah Hospital, a part of the Al Falah School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, is a 650-bed charitable hospital with free consultation with multi-specialty doctors and investigations at nominal prices”.
So, who are the five doctors — one of them dead — under the scanner for allegedly being terrorists? At least four of these highly educated professionals were allegedly part of this White-Collar Terror Module with links to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGUH). Here are their brief profiles:
Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, 27
Dr Rather’s arrest from a hospital in UP’s Saharanpur on November 6 blew the lid off the terror module.
The 27-year-old Rather is originally from Qazigund, Anantnag, in South Kashmir, and was a senior resident doctor at the Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag until October 24, 2024. Later, he joined a private hospital in Saharanpur.
Investigation began against him after he was allegedly caught on CCTV footage pasting posters in support of the JeM in Srinagar’s Nowgam area on October 27.
Also read: Delhi blast probe hints at detonator use, possible link to Faridabad module
He was reportedly tasked with recruiting other highly educated individuals like doctors and engineers into the terror outfit. An AK-47 rifle was allegedly found in his personal locker at GMC Anantnag.
According to police, Rather had links with JeM and AGUH. An FIR was registered under the Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Rather was arrested from a hospital in Saharanpur on November 6, and his interrogation led sleuths to Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai and the discovery of explosives in Faridabad.
Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai (or Shakeel), 35
Dr Muzammil is a 35-year-old MBBS doctor from Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, and a faculty member at Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences, where he also managed the hospital’s emergency wing.
He allegedly rented the accommodation in Dhauj village, Faridabad, where a massive cache of nearly 2,900 kg of ammonium nitrate (an explosive precursor), weapons (Krinkov assault rifle, pistol, magazines, ammunition), and IED-making components were seized.
Also read: J-K police uncover 350 kg ammonium nitrate stash, foil major terror plot in Faridabad
Dr Muzammil was reportedly radicalized and involved in storing and transporting the materials. He reportedly lived in the university for over three years. Sleuths suspect he may have used the university lab and other facilities to make and store explosives.
According to reports, he initially used an autorickshaw driver rented from a local cleric to store “luggage”. Police have reportedly confirmed his ties with Dr Rather and Dr Umar Mohammad, the suspected bomber.
Dr Muzammil’s arrest on Monday (November 10) led the police to the next suspect — Dr Shaheen Shahid.
Dr Shaheen Shahid
Dr Shaheen, from Lucknow’s Lal Bagh, Uttar Pradesh, is also a practising doctor at Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences. She is purported to be the girlfriend of Dr Muzammil and was allegedly tasked with establishing the women’s wing of JeM, Jamaat ul-Mominaat, in India.
The Jamaat ul-Mominaat is headed in Pakistan by JeM founder Masood Azhar’s sister Sadia Azhar, whose husband, Yusuf Azhar, was a mastermind in the 1999 Kandahar hijacking incident and was reportedly killed during Operation Sindoor on May 7.
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An assault rifle and live cartridges were allegedly recovered from her car, which Dr Muzammil allegedly used to transport weapons. The Maruti Suzuki Swift, which has a licence plate with Faridabad’s code, was searched following Dr Muzammil’s questioning.
Dr Shaheen is accused of being an active part of the terror module, working alongside Dr Muzammil and Dr Rather in Faridabad and maintaining links with the network in Kashmir.
She was arrested from Faridabad on November 10, hours before the car blast near Red Fort. His revelations reportedly helped the police find more explosives.
Dr Muhammad Umar (or Umar Un Nabi), 36
Another doctor from Pulwama, Jammu-Kashmir, Dr Umar was also a colleague of Dr Muzammil at Al-Falah University. He went missing after the arrests of the other doctors and is suspected to be the “suicide bomber” who triggered the car explosion near Red Fort on Monday.
Dr Umar, born on February 24, 1989, in Koil village, Pulwama, is a product of Srinagar’s Government Medical College, where he earned his MBBS and MD (Medicine) degrees. He had carved a respectable career as a senior resident at Anantnag Government Hospital before joining the Al Falah medical school as faculty.
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CCTV footage shows Umar driving around in the Hyundai i20 that exploded and investigators are now trying to make out whether Dr Umar, feeling cornered, embarked on a suicide mission. The car was reportedly carrying a large amount of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil.
Dr Umar’s mother Shamima Bano and four brothers—Zahoor Nabi, Ashiq Nabi, Amir Rashid, and Umar Rashid—have now been detained for interrogation.
Dr Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed, 35 (Gujarat “ricin terror plot” case)
Dr Saiyed is a 35-year-old doctor from Hyderabad who received his education in China.
His connection with the rest of the arrested doctors is not known yet. He is the key accused in an alleged plot to use the deadly toxin ricin for a terror attack.
Also read: Ricin terror plot: Arrested doctor surveyed markets, RSS office, say cops
He allegedly produced the ricin toxin from castor oil and conducted reconnaissance of several crowded public places and vital installations, including the RSS office in Lucknow. He was allegedly in contact with handlers from the ISIS-Khorasan Province via encrypted apps.
He was arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on November 7. Two Glock pistols, a Beretta pistol, ammunition, and four litres of castor oil were seized from him.