A Kashmiri doctor was arrested in Faridabad with 360 kg of explosives and weapons, sparking fears of a major terror plot. Experts warn Pakistan’s deep state is plotting attacks in NCR as part of a larger ISI-ISIS network
A dramatic joint operation by Faridabad (Haryana) and Jammu & Kashmir police on Monday led to the arrest of a physician, identified as Dr Muzammil Shakeel, and the recovery of about 360 kg of inflammable material — suspected to be ammonium nitrate — along with a cache of arms and IED-making components from his rented accommodation in Faridabad. Police said another accused, Aadil Rather, was arrested earlier after an AK-47 was recovered from his locker at Government Medical College, Srinagar, and his interrogation led to the Faridabad raid.
Officials and defence experts responding to the seizure framed it as a clear and worrying attempt to strike at the national capital region, and many pointed the finger at external handlers and Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus. Their remarks, stark and unvarnished, ranged from tactical warnings to geopolitical threats — and all called for stronger, smarter intelligence and counter-terror measures.
The Operation: What Police Recovered
According to Faridabad Commissioner of Police Satender Kumar Gupta, the joint operation — which police said had been under way for about fifteen days — resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of material and multiple arms. CP Gupta told reporters:
“It is an ongoing joint operation between the Haryana police and the J&K police. An accused, Dr Muzammil, was nabbed. 360 kg of inflammable material was recovered yesterday, which is possibly ammonium nitrate. It is not RDX… The operation is still underway.”
Police inventory of the seizure, as released through official briefings and ANI reports, included:
- Approx. 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate (in suitcases/buckets)
- One assault rifle with three magazines and 83 live rounds (described as “like an AK-47 but slightly smaller”)
- One pistol with 8 live rounds; additional magazines and cartridges
- Twenty timers with batteries, 24 remotes, walkie-talkie sets, electric wiring, batteries
- Several large and small suitcases and other components consistent with IED construction
Jammu & Kashmir police sources said the enquiry began after posters supporting banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed were put up in Srinagar on October 27; the arrest of a resident doctor at GMC Srinagar, Dr Adil Ahmed, and the recovery of an AK-47 from his locker reportedly led investigators to Rather and then to Muzammil in Faridabad.
A Strategic Warning — Major General Ashok Kumar (Retd)
Major General Ashok Kumar (Retd), Director General of CENJOWS, placed the incident in a broader regional context and issued a direct warning:
“Having been defeated during Op Sindoor by India, Pakistan is continuing it’s narrative building as well as constant effort to spread terror. Of late , the encounters between the security forces in J&K have increased. In addition, Pakistan is focussing on Indian City centres to spread the terror . The recoveries made in Faridabad indicate its intention of carrying out a huge terror attack in Delhi NCR,” he told Asianet Newsable English.
“Intelligence agencies will need to be prepared for such actions. With increasing linkages between Pakistan and Bangladesh, the challenges are becoming more complex. The possibility of Bangladeshis being part of such activities cannot be ruled out in future given the Government effort to deport Bangladeshis,” Major General Ashok Kumar (Retd) further added.
His assessment ties the seizure to a perceived shift in strategy — from frontier strikes to strikes in urban centres — and calls for sharper, cross-border intelligence coordination.
‘Black Swan Event’ Risk — Major General Sudhakar Jee (Retd)
Putting the incident into doctrinal terms, former Major General Sudhakar Jee (Retd) warned of the potential for high-impact, unpredictable attacks and sketched out likely threat vectors.
“Pakistan’s strategy of ‘bleeding India with thousand cuts’ in action. The transborder terror network will be active to target India at a place and time to assume the profile of ‘Black Swan Event’,” he told Asianet Newsable English.
“The statewide/ regional caliphates with mutual collaboration between ISI and ISIS will be the launch pads to attack targets in areas of Interest. The NIA and the involvement of the citizens in countering the Pakistan’s design will be necessitated,” he added.
“It’s a Wakeup Call” — Ex-DGP Vikram Singh
Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vikram Singh described the seizure as both a relief and a stark warning.
“It is a matter of tremendous satisfaction and relief. An AK-47 rifle was recovered from his locker in Kashmir. Now, in Faridabad, three quintals worth of RDX and an AK-47 rifle have been recovered. Another accomplice is on a run. I would first compliment the police, intelligence agencies for working the case out wonderfully and professionally. But, it is a wakeup call that the enemy is inside the gates. If you could smuggle three quintals of RDX, imagine the devastating impact.”
He went on to stress that the NCR was sitting on the tip of a volcano, and intelligence must be taken to “a different level” so suspicious activities are reported quickly and dealt with proactively.
“The entire NCR was sitting on the tip of a volcano. Our intelligence act will have to be taken to a different level, so that nothing goes by default. All suspicious activities will have to be reported quickly, and police have to be proactive so that such people do not survive,” he added.
Ground-level Warnings: SP Vaid and Capt. Anil Gaur’s Blunt Remarks
Former Jammu & Kashmir DGP SP Vaid, reflecting the hardline security establishment’s posture, explicitly pointed to Pakistan’s “deep state”.
“I think they were planning a terror action in the interior of the country. That’s why this huge recovery of explosive material, ammonium nitrate or whatever it is, with an assault rifle in a joint operation by J&K and Faridabad police. The two doctors have figured this out, and they have been arrested. Dr Adil was initially tracked down, and his interrogation led to the arrest of another Dr Muzammil. Pakistan’s deep state is desperate to take some major action in the hinterland. Looks like Pakistan and ISI are planning something big in India,” he said.
He added a stark geopolitical escalator: “They should remember that Operation Sindoor is on, and if they undertake something, they will have to bear consequences for the complete annihilation of Pakistan… That is what radical Islamic ideology is, irrespective of your education…”
Defence expert Captain Anil Gaur (Retd.) echoed the concern that educated individuals were being radicalised and used.
“Whatever the politicians may say, because of no jobs, no work avenues, persecuted people are becoming terrorists, but these are educated people. Yesterday, the Gujarat ATS arrested three people. One of them was a doctor who was making ricin, the most poisonous substance, which could have affected the masses,” he said.
He reinforced the narrative that terror modules are increasingly sophisticated and may be backed by cross-border handlers.
“Jaish-e-Mohammad and other organisations, under the patronage of ISI, are bent upon creating terror in India. India has to now take a very strong stand, as our Prime Minister had already said, that Operation Sindoor is ongoing… If anything happens, there will be repercussions,” Captain Anil Gaur (Retd) added.
Doctors, Degrees and the Problem of Radicalisation
What makes this case particularly unsettling is that those arrested are medical professionals — a fact repeatedly highlighted by experts. The notion that individuals with advanced education and respectable careers could be part of a violent conspiracy adds a human perplexity to the security calculus: how do well-educated citizens become radicalised, and how do they slip past institutional checks?
Several commentators noted this is now part of a worrying trend: beyond disenfranchised, unemployed recruits, terror outfits are allegedly tapping into professional classes as sleeper cells precisely because they provide credible cover and logistical capability.
Alarm, Response and Wider Message
The Faridabad seizure has jolted security agencies and defence commentators alike. For now, two men are in custody, a massive amount of potential explosive material is off the streets, and investigators are piecing together whether the discovery prevented an attack in the heart of the National Capital Region.
Experts’ warnings were decisive: the episode is a reminder that threats can morph — from border clashes and mountain infiltrations to underground cells in city suburbs — and that the line between professional life and militant activity can, alarmingly, blur.
Their message to Pakistan was equally unambiguous: India’s security establishment regards such actions as serious and will respond, even as analysts insist that the best defence remains sharper intelligence, cross-border cooperation and community vigilance.