Investigators probing the Faridabad terror bust are examining whether Al-Falah University’s laboratory facilities were misused to produce high-grade explosives linked to a transnational terror network spanning multiple states.
New Delhi: In one of India’s largest counterterrorism operations in recent years, investigators have unearthed a massive terror module that allegedly infiltrated academic and professional networks across multiple states. The operation began with the arrest of a Kashmiri medical professor and has now led to the recovery of nearly 2,900 kilograms of explosive substances, several assault rifles, pistols, bomb-making components, and a web of connections stretching from Jammu and Kashmir to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Authorities believe the busted network had transnational linkages with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH), two Pakistan-based extremist organisations. The case has raised alarming questions about how a sophisticated terror structure allegedly embedded itself within India’s academic landscape, using universities and professional fronts to conceal its activities.
Probe Triggered By Threat Posters In Srinagar
The investigation was set in motion on 19 October, when threatening posters bearing the insignia of Jaish-e-Mohammed appeared in the Bunpora Nowgam locality of Srinagar. Jammu and Kashmir Police registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act, and Arms Act at the Nowgam Police Station.
As the probe deepened, investigators traced the origin of the posters to an organised network of seemingly respectable individuals, including doctors, scholars, and students, who were allegedly operating under a “white-collar terror ecosystem.” These suspects were reportedly in touch with handlers in Pakistan and other countries, coordinating their activities through encrypted messaging apps and charitable fronts.
Arrest Of A Medical Professor Uncovers Massive Haul Of Explosives
The first major breakthrough came with the arrest of Dr Muzamil Shakeel, a 35-year-old medical professional from Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, who was teaching at Al-Falah University in Dhauj, Faridabad. Shakeel, who managed the emergency wing of the university’s hospital and taught medical students, was taken into custody on 30 October after his alleged role in circulating the JeM posters came to light.
Following his arrest, joint teams from the Haryana and J&K Police raided two rented premises linked to him in Dhauj. The first search, conducted on Saturday, uncovered 358 kilograms of suspected ammonium nitrate, a Krinkov assault rifle with three magazines, 83 live cartridges, a pistol, and a range of bomb-making tools. Officers also seized twelve suitcases filled with explosive material, twenty electronic timers, remote-control devices, batteries, five kilograms of heavy metal, and a walkie-talkie set.
Subsequent raids at another site in Dehar Colony, Dhauj, yielded an additional 2,563 kilograms of chemicals and flammable substances, along with a large stock of weapons including a Beretta pistol, a Chinese pistol, an AK-56 rifle, and another Krinkov rifle.
Possible Use Of University Facilities Under Investigation
Police are also investigating whether laboratory facilities at Al-Falah University were misused for synthesising advanced explosives such as RDX. Sources said a religious scholar from a mosque near the campus has been detained for questioning in connection with the case.
In a related development, an AK-47 rifle allegedly linked to Dr Shakeel was recovered from a Swift Dzire car owned by a woman doctor working at the same university. Authorities believe she may have lent her vehicle unknowingly, though her possible involvement remains under scrutiny. She is currently being questioned by J&K Police.
Expanding Web: More Arrests Across States
The Faridabad operation also led investigators to Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district, where another doctor from Pulwama, Dr Adeel Majeed Rather, had already been detained. His interrogation reportedly helped police uncover Shakeel’s storage sites in Dhauj.
The Faridabad Police Commissioner, Satender Kumar Gupta, confirmed that a “terrorist module was in the making,” adding that multiple teams were conducting follow-up raids.
“This is a sensitive national security matter. Joint efforts by the Haryana and J&K Police have led to the dismantling of a major network,” he stated.
Meanwhile, J&K Police have described the coordinated raids across Srinagar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, and Shopian as part of a “broad counterterrorism breakthrough” that neutralised an inter-state and transnational module. Arrests include Arif Nisar Dar alias Sahil, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, Maqsood Ahmad Dar alias Shahid, Molvi Irfan Ahmad, Zameer Ahmad Ahanger, Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, and Dr Adeel Majeed Rather.
A police spokesperson said, “Financial investigations are underway to trace the flow of funds and identify all logistical and ideological linkages.”
Focus Turns To Al-Falah University
The probe has cast an unwelcome spotlight on Al-Falah University, a private institution located on a 70-acre campus in Dhauj, Faridabad, established in 2014 by the Al-Falah Charitable Trust. Recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2015 and accredited with an ‘A’ grade by NAAC, the university houses a 650-bed teaching hospital and offers courses across engineering, management, commerce, education, humanities, law, and medical sciences.
The institution also operates several affiliated schools, including the Al-Falah School of Engineering and Technology, School of Physical and Molecular Sciences, School of Commerce and Management, and School of Paramedical and Health Sciences.
Although the university administration has not been officially accused of wrongdoing, investigators are examining whether any of its facilities or staff were unknowingly or deliberately used to facilitate the production or concealment of explosives.
Concerns Over Campus Security And Institutional Oversight
The case has reignited discussions about the adequacy of security measures within academic institutions and the potential for radical elements to exploit educational spaces.
In recent years, some reports have pointed to lapses in the monitoring of laboratories and hostel premises, while a few former students have anonymously raised concerns about infrastructural and administrative shortcomings within the university’s engineering departments.
As the investigation advances, police sources indicate that the vast quantity of explosives recovered suggests the group may have been preparing for large-scale, coordinated attacks. Security agencies are continuing to trace the movement of funds, online communications, and links to overseas handlers in an effort to completely dismantle the transnational network.
A Chilling Reminder
The Faridabad terror bust serves as a stark reminder of how extremist elements can conceal themselves behind professional identities and institutional respectability. While the police investigation is still ongoing, the case has already exposed deep vulnerabilities in academic oversight, intelligence coordination, and cross-border radicalisation tactics. Authorities say more arrests and revelations are likely in the days ahead as India intensifies its crackdown on terror networks operating from both within and beyond its borders.