'We are not just tracking bombs anymore, we are tracking minds': Post Delhi blast, security agencies turn their focus back to Kashmir

Relatives, colleagues, and digital associates of the accused doctors are being detained and questioned; multiple raids carried out in Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Srinagar over the past three days

Srinagar: As investigators widen the probe into the high intensity Red Fort car blast and the Faridabad explosives haul, security agencies have turned their attention back to Kashmir, where relatives, colleagues, and digital associates of the accused doctors are being detained and questioned.

Cyber units are reportedly conducting forensic scans of mobile phones, laptops, and encrypted communication channels to trace the wider web of connections behind what officials now call a “doctor-led terror module”.

Multiple raids were carried out in Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Srinagar over the past three days, leading to the detention of at least a dozen individuals, including the sister of one accused. Investigators say those picked up are being questioned to determine whether they had prior knowledge of the alleged plot, helped transfer funds, or maintained online contact with the arrested doctors.

The joint operation between the Jammu and Kashmir Police, National Investigation Agency (NIA), and intelligence agencies follows the arrests of several medical professionals from Al-Falah University in Faridabad and the recovery of over 2,900 kg of explosives, firearms, and bomb-making material.

Who is Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie: Alleged mastermind

A 35-year-old physician from Koil, Pulwama, Muzammil was teaching MBBS students at Al-Falah University in Faridabad before his arrest. The police have described him as the module’s principal planner and coordinator.

A raid on his rented accommodation in Dhauj, Faridabad, led to the recovery of 358 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate, AK-47 assault rifle, three magazines, 91 live rounds, a pistol, timers, and remote-control detonators. Officials say Muzammil conducted multiple reconnaissance visits of the Red Fort area, mapping crowd and security patterns in preparation for an attack possibly timed for the Republic Day.

In Kashmir, his sister, Dr Asmat Shakeel alias Jassie, has been detained for questioning. She is being probed whether she helped her brother financially or acted as a communication intermediary.

Adeel Ahmad Rather: Logistics handler

From Kulgam, doctor Adeel Ahmad Rather was also employed at Al-Falah University and is accused of helping transport and conceal explosives. He was arrested from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, after Muzammil’s interrogation led investigators to him.

Adeel had previously served as a senior resident at Government Medical College, Anantnag, where an AK-47 rifle was later recovered from his locker, according to the police. He is alleged to have coordinated storage and transfer of explosives between Faridabad and Delhi, using his medical background and inter-State mobility as cover. He was working with V Bros Hospitals, Saharanpur — a unit of Oscar Group of Hospitals, at the time of his arrest.

Umar Un Nabi: Suspected executioner

Believed to have been driving the i20 car that exploded near Red Fort, Umar Un Nabi, doctor and another Pulwama native, is suspected of executing the final stage of the attack. His close coordination with Muzammil and Adeel reportedly included handling of the detonator system and logistics of the vehicle.

Officials said Umar had been under intermittent surveillance but changed phones and addresses frequently, evading tracking systems. His presence in the car, confirmed by DNA evidence, places him at the centre of the Red Fort explosion.

Nisar-ul-Hassan: Missing link

A well-known physician in Srinagar, Nisar was dismissed from government service in November 2023 under Article 311(2)(c) for alleged activities prejudicial to state security. After his termination, he joined Al-Falah University in Faridabad — the same institution where the arrested doctors worked.

Following the Red Fort blast, Nisar has gone missing, according to the local police. His disappearance, coupled with his past dismissal on terror-related grounds, has deepened suspicion that he may have had prior links with the group or knowledge of its operations.

Kashmir connections under lens

Investigators say the digital trail between the accused doctors and contacts in Kashmir is being forensically analysed. The seized phones, hard drives, and encrypted chats are undergoing decryption at cyber labs in Delhi and Srinagar. Sources said preliminary findings point to multiple Telegram and ProtonMail accounts used for covert communication, as well as possible fund transfers routed through small private accounts in the Valley.

Officials said several medical students, relatives, and professional associates of the accused in Pulwama, Kulgam, and Srinagar have been called for questioning. One senior police officer described the process as “digital mapping of the network that enabled professional radicalisation”.

“This is not a typical case of local militancy. We are dealing with a sophisticated web of professionals who used their education and social credibility as camouflage,” the officer said.

While arrests continue in the National Capital Region, the digital dragnet in Kashmir has expanded — signalling that the story of the doctor-terror module is far from over.

As one official put it: “We are not just tracking bombs anymore — we are tracking minds.”