Medical Professionals Mastermind Terror Network
In a shocking revelation, Jammu and Kashmir Police have dismantled a highly sophisticated 'white-collar' terror cell primarily operated by medical practitioners who had been actively searching for a suicide bomber since last year. The investigation has uncovered disturbing details about the network's operations and intentions.
The Radical Doctor and Suicide Bomber Hunt
According to officials cited by PTI, the key architect of this terror cell was Dr Umar Nabi, who relentlessly pushed the agenda of recruiting a suicide bomber for their operations. Interrogation of detained co-accused revealed that Umar, believed to have been killed while driving an explosives-laden car that detonated near the Red Fort on 10 November, was described as a "hardcore radical" who insisted that a suicide bomber was essential for their missions.
The Srinagar Police, led by SSP Dr GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, swiftly acted on this information and dispatched a team to Qazigund in south Kashmir, where they detained Jasir, alias 'Danish', a graduate with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. This arrest was made based on questioning of other co-accused individuals, including Dr Adeel Rather and Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie.
Failed Recruitment and Dangerous Plans
The detained individual admitted to having met the 'Doctor cell' in October last year at a mosque in Kulgam. From there, he was taken to a rented accommodation at the Al Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana. While other cell members wanted him to serve as an over-ground worker for the banned terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Umar intensely radicalized him over several months with the specific aim of turning him into a suicide bomber.
However, this dangerous plan collapsed in April this year when the potential recruit withdrew, citing his poor economic circumstances and the religious belief that suicide is forbidden in Islam. This revelation about the suicide bomber plot adds a dangerous new dimension to the investigation into the inter-state terror network linked to JeM.
Officials revealed that Umar, a 28-year-old doctor from Pulwama, had emerged as the most radicalized and pivotal operative in the network spanning Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Evidence suggests he was planning a powerful vehicle-borne improvised explosive device explosion timed to coincide with the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary on 6 December.
Investigators piecing together the evidence found that Umar's plans involved placing an IED in a crowded area, either in the National Capital Territory or at some place of religious significance, and then disappearing. His radical transformation began after a trip to Turkiye in 2021 with co-accused Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, where they allegedly met JeM over-ground workers.
Following this foreign trip, Umar and Ganaie, who taught at Al Falah University, began accumulating vast quantities of chemicals from the open market, including 360 kg of ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur, indicating preparations for large-scale explosive attacks.
