Dr Mohammad Arif, associated with Kanpur’s Cardiology Institute, has been detained by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Delhi Police Special Cell, and Jammu & Kashmir Police in connection with the fatal explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort. Investigations revealed an inter-state Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) module. Arif reportedly maintained close communication with Dr Shaheen Saeed from Lucknow.
Dr Shaheen Saeed had been tasked by Sadia Azhar, the sister of JeM chief Masood Azhar, with establishing the women’s wing of JeM in India, Jamaat ul-Mominaat, and recruiting new members. Investigators discovered Arif’s name from phone records obtained from Shaheen’s device. He was arrested from his rental home in Ashok Nagar, Lucknow, for interrogation by multiple agencies.
Arif, was a NEET-SS 2024 batch student, studied at Al Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana, and hails from Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir. The blast near the Red Fort was carried out by Dr Mohammad Umar un-Nabi, who detonated his Hyundai i20 at the popular tourist site. Officials noted that Umar panicked after several members of the terror module were apprehended, along with 2,900 kilograms of explosives, assault rifles, and other ammunition. CCTV footage confirmed that Umar was driving the car used in the explosion. Authorities are investigating whether the blast was accidental or premeditated.
Two other Kashmiri doctors, Adil Ahmed Rather and Muzammil Shakeel (also known as Musaib Ganaie), both employed at Al Falah University, have also been arrested.
Additionally, a man named Faheem, who parked a red Ford EcoSport linked to the explosion in Khandwali, has been taken into custody by Faridabad Police. Intelligence sources reported that he communicated with Umar un Nabi prior to the incident and is related to him.
