When the scope of investigation increased, the clues reached straight to Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, Gujarat ATS arrested three terrorists, whose interrogation revealed such things which shocked the security agencies.
The terrorists told that they were planning to wreak havoc in three big cities of the country – Delhi, Lucknow and Ahmedabad – simultaneously not through bombs but through “Ricin Poison”. This poison is so deadly that just a few drops of it can kill hundreds of people.
Big conspiracy exposed by Red Fort blast
On the evening of Monday, November 10, a massive explosion occurred in a Hyundai i20 (HR26 CE 7674) with Haryana number plate at the Subhash Marg traffic signal near Gate No. 1 of Red Fort Metro Station, Delhi. 9 people died and more than 20 were injured in this accident. Many vehicles caught fire. After Tana, Delhi Police and intelligence agencies intensified the investigation, and initial investigation revealed that it was not an accidental blast but part of an organized terrorist conspiracy.
Doctor arrested with ‘ricin poison’ in Gujarat
Gujarat ATS arrested a doctor, Syed Ahmed, from whom three pistols, chemical material for making ‘ricin poison’, and several suspicious documents were recovered. Syed Ahmed is originally from Hyderabad and studied MBBS in China from 2008 to 2013. According to ATS officials, Syed was in contact with Abu Khadija, the Pakistani handler of terrorist organization ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province).
Terrorists’ disclosure – “There was a plan to attack in three cities”
The investigation of Gujarat ATS revealed that the three terrorists had planned to attack simultaneously in three big cities of the country –
- Ahmedabad: Attack on crowded markets and religious places.
- Lucknow: Preparation to target RSS office.
- Delhi: Conspiracy to spread poisonous substances in Azadpur Mandi area.
The terrorists had also done reconnaissance in these three cities and collected complete information about weather, traffic and crowded areas.
What is ‘ricin’ poison? A weapon more deadly than a bomb
‘Ricin’ is a deadly organic poison, which is prepared from the remains of castor beans. It is considered many times more deadly than cyanide. If just a few milligrams of ricin enters a person’s body, he can die within a few hours. According to the police, Syed Ahmed and his associates had planned to kill people on a large scale by mixing it in food or water.
This case is also linked to Faridabad raids and suspects caught in Jammu and Kashmir. In Haryana, an accused was caught with 2,900 kg of explosives and two assault rifles. Whereas in UP, a person was arrested for putting up posters praising Jaish-e-Mohammed. After these arrests, intelligence agencies suspected that all of them were part of the same network, which operated from Pakistan.
Arms deal and Pakistani connection
According to Gujarat ATS report, Syed Ahmed and his associates reached Gujarat on the night of 6 November, where their aim was to exchange weapons. The captured terrorists admitted during interrogation that they had ordered weapons from Pakistan through drones. At the time of his arrest, two Glock semi-automatic pistols, a Beretta pistol, and castor oil were recovered from Syed. Several encrypted Telegram chats were also found on his phone and laptop, containing evidence of conversations with Abu Khadija and other ISKP handlers.
Most educated terrorist Dr. Syed Ahmed
Among the three terrorists, Dr. Syed Ahmed is said to be the most educated and dangerous. He was not only preparing ricin poison but also knew the technique of mixing the poison in food in powder form. According to police sources, he was working under the guise of hotel business in Hyderabad. As soon as it was revealed that the terrorists were preparing to attack not with bombs but with chemical poison, several agencies including NIA, IB, Delhi Police Special Cell and Gujarat ATS started a joint investigation. Now the investigation is moving in the direction of who else is involved behind this network, and whether it is directly connected to the Red Fort blast.
This case is not just a terrorist conspiracy, but is indicative of a plan like chemical warfare. The arrest of the three terrorists has exposed Pakistan-backed modules operating in India. Security agencies are now on alert across the country and high security zones have been implemented in all major cities. If a poison like ricin was spread in the open, thousands of people could have died.