A Lucknow-based woman doctor, arrested in connection with a massive explosives haul in Faridabad near Delhi, was allegedly tasked with setting up the women’s wing of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in India, according to Delhi Police sources.
Dr Shaheen Shahid, a resident of Lucknow’s Lal Bagh, was reportedly handed charge of the India branch of JeM’s women’s unit, Jamaat ul-Mominaat, which operates under the leadership of JeM founder Masood Azhar’s sister, Sadia Azhar, in Pakistan.
Sources revealed that Sadia Azhar’s husband, Yusuf Azhar, who was among the masterminds of the Kandahar hijacking, was killed during Operation Sindoor on May 7.
Delhi Police officials said Shaheen’s arrest followed the busting of JeM’s terror module in Faridabad, where 2,900 kg of explosives, assault rifles, pistols, and ammunition were recovered from rented rooms connected to another accused, Dr Muzammil Ganaie alias Musaib, from Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama.
JeM Module Busted After Faridabad Raid
Muzammil, who worked at Al-Falah University near Delhi, was named in a Jammu and Kashmir Police case over pro-JeM posters in Srinagar. Following his interrogation, investigators traced an assault rifle and ammunition stored in a Maruti Suzuki Swift car registered in Faridabad (HR 51) belonging to Dr Shaheen Shahid.
“The woman doctor was directly linked to Muzammil Ganaie and was helping him build a JeM-linked network under the guise of student and academic circles,” said a senior Delhi Police official.
ALSO READ: Red Fort Blast: Kashmiri doctor behind car explosion? What is the ‘white collar terror network’?
The revelations led to further recovery of explosives suspected to be ammonium nitrate, along with 20 timers and other materials used in making improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Intelligence reports indicate that JeM is trying to revive its network after Operation Sindoor, launching a female cadre base known as Jamaat-ul-Mominaat in October. Recruitment reportedly began on October 8 at Markaz Usman-o-Ali in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
The unit is allegedly mobilizing wives of JeM commanders and economically vulnerable women from areas such as Bahawalpur, Karachi, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Haripur, and Mansehra.
“The creation of a women’s wing marks a major shift in JeM’s strategy to expand its influence and evade surveillance,” a counter-terror official added.
Background: Growing Security Concerns
India’s security agencies are closely monitoring cross-border attempts to revive militant networks post major crackdowns. The involvement of educated individuals, such as doctors and academics, has raised alarm over radicalization through online and institutional channels.
The investigation into Dr Shaheen Shahid’s role is ongoing. Delhi Police have also informed central agencies to trace any financial or digital links between JeM’s Pakistan handlers and the accused.
