Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau
The Jammu and Kashmir Police busted a major terror plot in Delhi-NCR and recovered a huge cache of ammunition from a village near Haryana’s Faridabad on Monday.
The operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police was carried out in coordination with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Faridabad Police.
Working on specific intelligence inputs after interrogating arrested suspects in Jammu and Kashmir, explosives were recovered from the rented residence of Dr Muzammil Shakil, an MBBS doctor and a teacher at Al Falah Medical College in Faridabad, originally from Jammu and Kashmir. The police revealed that the suspect had reportedly rented a house in Dhauj village about three months ago.
The arms and explosive material were linked to a transnational terror module of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind outfits. A total of seven people have been arrested so far in the operation.
Accordingly, a case was registered under various sections of the UAPA Act, BNS, Explosive Substances Act, and Arms Act at Police Station Nowgam in Jammu and Kashmir, and an investigation was initiated.
“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,” a police spokesperson told news agency PTI.
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Big cache of explosives and ammunition recovered: The joint team recovered 350 kilograms of explosives, including 14 bags of ammonium nitrate weighing around 100kg, an AK-47 rifle, 84 live cartridges, several timers that could be used in bombs, and 5 litres of chemical solution, among other things. A total of 48 items suspected to be used for assembling Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Possible Pakistan link being probed: A possible Pakistan link is being probed. The seized items have been sent for forensic examination, and intelligence agencies are investigating the network’s funding sources and potential connections to handlers across the border in Pakistan.
Woman doctor angle being probed: Apart from Dr Muzammil Shakil, the role of a woman doctor from Jammu and Kashmir is also being probed. According to multiple reports, the rifle recovered from Muzammil was found in a Swift Dezire car belonging to the woman doctor. While the sources quoted in a Times of India report stated that the car may have been borrowed without her knowledge, the investigation is still ongoing.
Transnational terror module busted, 7 arrested: The weapons recovery was a part of a big operation by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which has unearthed an interstate and transnational terror module of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind outfits. According to the police, a total of seven people, including the doctor from Faridabad and another doctor from Jammu and Kashmir, have been arrested. The arrested suspects have been identified as Arif Nisar Dar alias Sahil, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar alias Shahid, all residents of Nowgam, Srinagar; Molvi Irfan Ahmad (Imam of a mosque), resident of Shopian; Zameer Ahmad Ahanger alias Mutlasha, resident of Wakura area of Ganderbal; Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie alias Musaib, resident of Koil area of Pulwama; and Dr Adeel, resident of Wanpora area of Kulgam.
Funds raised through academic channels: According to the cops, funds for the terror module were raised through professional and academic networks, under the guise of social and 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 and ammunition and material for preparing IEDs
