J&K Police Dismantle Inter-State Terror Network: Medical Professionals Arrested with 350kg Explosives and Weapons

Srinagar:

Jammu and Kashmir Police have dismantled an inter-state and transnational terrorist network connected to two prohibited terrorist organizations – Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an al-Qaeda affiliated Islamist group operating throughout J&K.

The operation led to the seizure of 2,900kg of bomb-making materials, including 350kg of ammonium nitrate explosive agent, timers, assault rifles, handguns, and ammunition from the residence of Mujammil Shakeel, a medical professional at Al-Falah Hospital in Haryana's Faridabad, and from the locker of Adil Ahmad Rather, a physician at Anantnag's Government Medical College.

Security forces and intelligence agencies conducted raids across multiple locations in J&K (Srinagar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, and Shopian) and Faridabad over recent days, uncovering a concerning white-collar terrorist ecosystem involving radicalized professionals, predominantly doctors.

These professionals receive directives from handlers based in Pakistan and other countries, participating in various terrorist activities, including displaying posters supporting terrorist organizations.

Adil Rather was apprehended in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur after surveillance footage captured him posting materials praising Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar.

Intelligence sources revealed to NDTV that five additional individuals have been arrested alongside Rather and Shakeel.

The suspects have been identified as Arif Nisar Dar, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar from Srinagar, Molvi Irfan Ahmad from Shopian, and Zameer Ahmad Ahanger from Ganderbal.

The investigation now includes a female doctor from Al-Falah hospital, whose vehicle contained one of the recovered assault rifles. Shakeel is a native of Pulwama while Rather originates from Kulgam.

The emergence of white-collar terrorism networks presents a specific challenge for Indian security agencies, who are now monitoring financial transactions to and from terrorists and their supporters.

Beyond weapons and explosives, authorities have discovered incriminating documentation, including instructional materials for manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The recovered arsenal is extensive and concerning, ranging from an Italian-manufactured Beretta pistol to Russian-made Krinkov assault rifles, reportedly a lethal variant of the AK-74 combining substantial firepower with compact design.

The assault rifle discovered in a hospital locker assigned to Adil Rather in J&K's Anantnag.

Sources indicated that substantial ammunition reserves were also confiscated.

Furthermore, nearly 3,000kg of IED-manufacturing materials were seized, including explosives, chemicals, flammable substances, electronic circuits, batteries, wiring, remote controls, and timing devices.

More than one-third of this cache originated from Faridabad – the 350kg of ammonium nitrate initially suspected to be RDX, a military-grade high explosive.

Intelligence reports accessed by NDTV last week revealed a troubling escalation in Pakistan-supported terrorist activity in J&K, six months following Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the Pahalgam attack.

The report indicated that organizations like Jaish are preparing for coordinated strikes against India, including enhanced infiltration, reconnaissance, and cross-border logistics operations.

Pakistan's continued backing of cross-border terrorism was highlighted in another high-level intelligence assessment last week, with support now extending to a covert partnership between Lashkar-e-Taiba and Islamic State Khorasan Province, orchestrated by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence.

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