Revealed: How Cleric Irfan Ahmed Radicalised Medical Professionals Behind the Red Fort Car Bombing

Irfan Ahmed, the individual responsible for radicalising the medical professionals involved in the Red Fort car bombing incident.

New Delhi:

The perpetrators behind the Delhi Red Fort car explosion—now known as the 'terror doctors' due to their medical backgrounds, although their licenses have since been revoked—underwent radicalisation after encountering Maulvi Irfan Ahmed, according to intelligence sources.

Last week, intelligence officials disclosed Ahmed's identity to NDTV, confirming his residence in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, though additional information remained limited at that time.

NDTV can now reveal details about the initial meeting between Ahmed—who maintains connections with terrorists from the Pakistan-supported Jaish-e-Mohammed organization—and former doctor Muzamil Shakeel, who was employed at Al-Falah Hospital in Haryana's Faridabad, which subsequently became the nucleus of this terrorist network.

It was in Shakeel's rented accommodation in Faridabad where authorities discovered 2,950 kg of explosive materials, including ammonium nitrate utilized in the car bomb. This discovery occurred shortly before Umar-un-Nabi, also known as Umar Mohammad, drove the Hyundai i10 across Delhi and detonated it near the Red Fort.

Ahmed first encountered Shakeel and Nabi in 2023 while accompanying a patient—whose identity and connection to the terror plot remains unclear—to the Government Medical College in Srinagar.

They exchanged contact information, and through subsequent messages and conversations over the following two years, Ahmed radicalised both Shakeel and Nabi. The extent of this indoctrination became evident when Nabi, in a recently emerged video, calmly discussed suicide bombing, describing it as "a misunderstood concept."

Sources informed NDTV that Shakeel and Nabi introduced other colleagues to Ahmed, who employed extremist ideology and materials—shared via a Telegram channel—to radicalise them as well. Ahmed also arranged meetings with Jaish terrorists in southern Kashmir.

This meeting would prove crucial, essentially initiating the Red Fort car bomb plot. Officials familiar with the investigation revealed that Jaish terrorists provided the 'terror doctors' with two assault rifles.

One rifle was recovered from the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire belonging to Shahina Saeed, another 'terror doctor' code-named 'Madam Surgeon.' Investigators believe she holds a senior position in Jaish-e-Mohammed's women's division—the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind—established by JeM's founder following Operation Sindoor.

The second weapon was found at the Government Medical College in Srinagar, in the locker of another doctor and cell member—Adil Ahmad Rather. Rather's activities—captured on CCTV posting pro-Jaish materials across Nowgam in J&K—helped authorities dismantle the network.

Rather was apprehended in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, and his interrogation revealed the conspiracy, leading to Shakeel's arrest, the discovery of explosives, and Saeed's identification. Unfortunately, authorities were unable to prevent the bombing itself.

The operation to dismantle this terror cell highlighted a concerning development—terrorist organizations like JeM are now targeting highly-educated professionals, including doctors in this case. Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed their investigation had uncovered a "white-collar terror ecosystem."

Investigations have also identified a list of 10 individuals believed to be 'key' members of this network, including Umar-bin-Khattab, alias Hanjulla, a Pakistan-based operative with whom Irfan Ahmed maintained communication.