Kashmiri doctor arrested in Faridabad; 2,900 kg of explosives, weapons recovered

Police have arrested a Kashmiri doctor here and seized 2,900 kg of explosives and a huge cache of arms and ammunition, officials said on Monday.

Muzammil Ganaie alias Musaib, a native of Koil in J-K’s Pulwama working as a doctor at the Al Falah University that also houses a hospital on its campus, was arrested in a joint operation by Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir Police, they said.

The Al Falah University at Dhouj in Haryana’s Faridabad district, around 45 km from Delhi, is a private institute recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

In total, eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives seized with the uncovering of a white collar terror module involving the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

Muzammil was arrested on October 30 and was later produced in a court in Faridabad before being taken to Jammu and Kashmir on a three-day transit remand.

On Monday, Faridabad Police Commissioner Satender Kumar Gupta addressed a press conference and shared details about the doctor's arrest.

Later in the evening, a statement issued by police said, “In a joint operation by Faridabad Police and Jammu and Kashmir Police, approximately 2,900 kilograms of inflammable/explosive material was recovered."

Muzammil was arrested after the J-K Police named him as a wanted person in a case involving putting up posters supporting the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar.

During the investigation, the role of Muzammil was found to be suspicious, following which a team from the Nowgam police station in Kashmir arrested Muzammil with the assistance of the Faridabad Crime Branch, the statement said.

Police said that on Sunday, 358 kg of explosive material suspected to be ammonium nitrate, a Krinkov assault rifle with three magazines, a pistol with 2 cartridges, 91 live rounds and two magazines were recovered from the room of a house in Dhauj, located just 500 metres from the Al Falah University.

The accused doctor rented the room for Rs 1,200 a month one-and-a-half months ago.

Police also seized 20 timers, 4 batteries, 24 remote controls, electrical circuits, batteries, wires, and a metal seat from the room.

On Monday, police recovered 2,550 kg of ammonium nitrate from a room at Fatehpur Taga village, 4 km from Dhauj. The accused doctor had taken both the premises on rent.

Police have also taken a cleric named Ishtaq, who had rented the rooms to Muzammil, into custody for questioning.

“Police have taken away my husband, who has been the imam of the local mosque for the past 20 years. The doctors, students and staff of Al Falah University visited the mosque daily to offer namaaz, including Muzzamil,” Ishtaq’s wife said.

Muzzamil had been working with Al Falah University for the past three-and-a-half years and lived on the varsity premises.

Asked where the accused intended to carry out the terror act, Commissioner Gupta said, "Investigations are underway. In view of national security, it won’t be appropriate to share the details at this moment.”

Commenting on the police action, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini told mediapersons on the sidelines of an event in Gurugram, "Investigations are going on. Anyone found involved will not be spared."

Speaking to reporters in Ambala, Haryana minister Anil Vij said, “Police are probing from where the explosive material was procured, what was the target, who all were involved, etc. No guilty person will be spared.”