Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): A group of highly educated professionals, including medical practitioners, allegedly created a covert terror outfit aimed at carrying out attacks in Jammu and Kashmir as well as other parts of the country, officials revealed on Sunday. The module, described by investigators as a “white-collar” network due to the professional backgrounds of its members, is now under the scanner of the National Investigation Agency.
According to police sources, the accused had been undergoing a process of radicalisation since 2016. In April 2022, several of them reportedly met at Eidgah in downtown Srinagar and agreed to establish a new organisation named “Ansar Interim.” Adeel Rather was allegedly appointed as the group’s ‘Ameer’ (chief), with Maulvi Irfan as his deputy and Muzamil Gannie handling finances. The term “Ansar,” officials noted, is often associated with extremist outfits such as Al-Qaeda.
Among the key figures was Dr. Umer-un Nabi, who later died in an explosion outside the Red Fort on November 10 that claimed more than a dozen lives. Investigators believe he was driving an explosive-laden vehicle when the blast occurred. Officials say he had previously attempted to join militant groups in 2016 and 2018 but failed.
During questioning, arrested members allegedly disclosed that they decided to form their own outfit after losing contact with active militants. Roles were divided within the group, with Umer acting as coordinator and overseeing logistics and procurement alongside Gannie.
In 2023, the group is said to have sourced fertiliser materials from Haryana’s Sohna and Nuh regions. Authorities claim that NPK compounds were also procured from a chemical supplier in Faridabad. Umer allegedly studied online material to assemble improvised explosive devices and succeeded in preparing Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP), a volatile substance frequently linked to terror attacks.
Investigators further allege that Adeel recruited additional members, including an individual identified as Danish alias Jasir from South Kashmir. Danish was reportedly taken to accommodation linked to Al-Falah University in Faridabad, where explosive materials were being prepared. Officials claim Umer attempted to persuade him to carry out a suicide attack, but the recruit withdrew at the last moment.
Authorities suspect Umer had been planning a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) strike in a densely populated area, possibly in the national capital or at a religious site, with the intention of escaping afterward. However, the plan appears to have unravelled following the arrest of Gannie and the seizure of explosives during a Srinagar police operation. Investigators believe mounting pressure may have led to the premature detonation near the Red Fort.
The investigation into the wider network began after posters linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed appeared in Bunpora, Nowgam, on October 19. CCTV footage analysis resulted in the arrest of three individuals with previous stone-pelting cases. Their interrogation reportedly led police to Maulvi Irfan Ahmad, a former paramedic turned imam from Shopian, who is accused of supplying the posters and influencing members of the group.
Officials describe the case as a stark example of radicalisation cutting across professional backgrounds and state boundaries, with links spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The NIA continues to piece together evidence to determine the full extent of the alleged conspiracy and any additional collaborators.
