From Doctor to Terror Suspect: The Radicalization Journey of Shaheen Saeed in Delhi's Red Fort Bombing Case

Shaheen Saeed and Muzammil Shakeel wed in 2023, marking the beginning of a relationship that would later be scrutinized in connection with terrorism.

The story of 46-year-old Shaheen Saeed reveals a complex journey from respected medical professional to key terror suspect in the 10/11 blast near Delhi's historic Red Fort. Her path, intertwined with two failed marriages and a new relationship, illustrates a gradual shift toward extremism.

Saeed's marriage to fellow physician Muzammil Shakeel in September 2023 appears pivotal in her radicalization journey. Both doctors eventually lost their medical licenses following the Delhi blast investigation, with authorities suggesting this union introduced Saeed to terrorist networks.

Born and raised in Lucknow's crowded Daliganj neighborhood, Saeed showed academic promise from an early age. She completed her MBBS in Allahabad before specializing in pharmacology. Her father, Syed Ahmad Ansari, a government employee, raised the family with modest means but strong emphasis on education and social respectability.

Saeed's first marriage to ophthalmologist Dr. Zafar Hayat lasted from 2003 to 2012 and produced two children. Dr. Hayat described their relationship to NDTV: "There was never any dispute or quarrel between us. She was a loving and caring person. I never had any inkling that she could be involved in such activities."

He recalled Saeed as deeply devoted to her family and children's education, noting she never wore a burqa except during their wedding ceremony. Their divorce reportedly stemmed from professional stress and diverging ambitions, particularly Saeed's desire to practice medicine abroad.

"Once she suggested that we settle in Australia or Europe for a better salary and quality of life. But I told her we already live a good life here, have good jobs and kids," Dr. Hayat explained.

The divorce profoundly affected Saeed, who subsequently withdrew from her teaching position at Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical College without notice. Sources indicate she remained out of contact for approximately eight years before her employment was terminated in 2021.

Following this period of isolation, Saeed briefly remarried a textile businessman based in Ghaziabad, though this union also ended quickly.

Muzammil Shakeel, a Kashmiri doctor who was Saeed's junior at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, entered her life next. Their professional proximity at the university fostered a relationship that culminated in marriage at a mosque near campus in September 2023. According to Shakeel's interrogation statements, he provided a mahr of approximately Rs 6,000.

It was during this period that Saeed reportedly began engaging with religious student groups. Investigators allege members of Jamaat ul-Mominaat, the women's wing of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), approached and gradually indoctrinated her into radical ideology.

Using her medical credentials, Saeed allegedly traveled between Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi-NCR, and Haryana, facilitating fund transfers and communications. Security agencies claim she was eventually appointed to lead the Indian operations of Jamaat ul-Mominaat, an organization headed in Pakistan by Sadia Azhar, sister of JeM founder Masood Azhar.

Saeed's family members express profound shock regarding these allegations. Her elder brother, Mohammad Shoaib, who had not been in contact with her for four years, stated: "Even when she was studying medicine, there was never any sign of her being involved in anything suspicious. I still don't believe these allegations."

Her father echoed similar disbelief about his daughter's alleged terrorist connections.

Investigators now claim Saeed was responsible for forming a team of five "terror doctors." She and two colleagues—Muzammil Shakeel and Adeel Ahmed Rather—have been arrested in connection with the Delhi blast that killed 15 people and injured many more. The attack involved a suicide bomber identified as Umar Mohammad (alias Umar un Nabi), a Kashmiri doctor also affiliated with Al-Falah University, who detonated explosives in a slow-moving Hyundai i20 near the Red Fort.