The probe into the Red Fort blast so far suggests it was the handiwork of the same “transnational and interstate” terror module that was busted by the Jammu and Kashmir police days earlier, with roots in the Valley’s Pulwama district, it is learnt. According to highly placed sources in the police forces of three states, the man who was driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded is suspected to be Dr Umar Nabi, a resident of Pulwama and an employee of Faridabad’s Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences & Research Centre.
Investigators say two other members of this module – Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai, who hails from Pulwama and was also working at Al Falah, and Dr Adeel Majeed Rather from Qazigund, who was working at a private hospital in Saharanpur – were arrested in the last week of October. Police had at the time seized 358 kg of explosives, suspected to be ammonium nitrate, from Ganai’s rented home in Faridabad’s Dhauj village.
Police sources said they believe that Dr Umar went missing around the time of these arrests. They said he is suspected to be the man caught on footage from several CCTVs driving the i20 before the blast, which killed 13 people and left many more injured.
Top sources in security agencies said they believe members of the module were planning something much bigger than the Red Fort blast, but their plans began to unravel late last month.
“It was a probe initiated by an alert police officer in Kashmir’s Nowgam that blew this thing wide open. The officer saw a few Jaish posters in his jurisdiction and decided to probe further after filing an FIR on October 19,” said a source.
As the officer did some digging, Dr Ganai’s role emerged, and he led the police to Dr Rather. “Since Dr Umar was in Faridabad, he perhaps got an inkling and went missing,” said a source.
According to officials, the recoveries from Dr Ganai’s rented accommodation – over 350 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate, 20 remotes, four timers, an AK rifle and ammunition – also indicate a larger attack was being planned.
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Police are also establishing the links between the three doctors. According to sources, both Dr Umar and Dr Ganai are from Pulwama’s Koil village, and both were employed at the same hospital. A fourth doctor – a woman from Lucknow – has also been picked up by investigators in connection with the alleged terror module, sources say. Identified as Dr Shaheen Shahid Ansari, she was also employed at the Faridabad hospital and was known to Dr Ganai. Investigators say he had been using her vehicle, and when J&K police made seizures, a weapon was found inside. She is currently being questioned, police sources said.
In Pulwama
Simultaneously, a spate of detentions has been made from different villages in Pulwama since Monday night. They include Amir Rashid (27), a plumber and a resident of Samboora village, whose documents were used to buy the i20. His older brother and a bank security guard have also been picked up.
Police have also detained Dr Umar’s two brothers for questioning, while his mother has been taken for DNA sampling to check against samples from bodies found after the blast.
Police are also probing the role of Irfan Ahmad, the imam of a masjid at Shopian, who is believed to have radicalised some others in the module. He was arrested earlier this month.
‘White-collar group’
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Senior officers said that Dr Umar is believed to be the one who led the “white-collar group” of the accused doctors. “All of them appear to have known each other for four-five years. Some studied together at different points,” said a source.
Shaheen was born in 1979, Dr Umar in 1989, Dr Rathar in 1991, and Dr Ganai in 1992, officials said. “Dr Umar is suspected to have been steering and motivating the rest of the flock,” said an officer.
Investigations have also revealed that the ammonium nitrate recovered from Dr Ganai’s rented room in Faridabad was allegedly procured by him over several days from nearby areas, including mining sites.
Sources said all four drew “handsome salaries”, yet “maintained a low-profile lifestyle”. “Even though Al Falah has hostel accommodations, the suspects were staying in rented accommodations in the vicinity,” sources said.
