The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday launched a fresh search operation in the forested areas of Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district as part of the ongoing investigation into the 10 November car blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, which killed 13 civilians and injured several others.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police supported the search.
Officials said the NIA team brought two arrested suspects, Dr Adil Rather and Jasir Bilal Wani, to identify specific locations linked to the terror plot.
Both men are key figures in the case and are assisting investigators in tracking down evidence linked to the conspiracy.
The investigation has uncovered a white collar terror module operated by a group of local doctors.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Haryana Police jointly exposed this network during operations in Faridabad.
The breakthrough led to the arrest of Dr Adil Rather and Dr Muzammil Ganai, while the third conspirator, Dr Umar Nabi, managed to evade arrest at the time.
According to investigators, Umar Nabi drove the explosive-laden car that detonated near the Red Fort, killing himself and claiming the lives of 13 innocent civilians.
A Conspiracy Rooted in Personal Rivalries
In a recent statement, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah revealed that the terror conspiracy stemmed from a ‘gilded love affair’.
He explained that one of the conspirators, Dr Muzammil Ganai, was involved in a romantic relationship with a local woman.
Their relationship deteriorated when Muzammil began distancing himself from her, prompting her to approach the police with incriminating information.
She reportedly informed officers that Muzammil had posted propaganda material for the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit. Her complaint triggered a chain of arrests, including that of a local Maulvi, which eventually led to the unravelling of the entire terror plot.
The police also arrested Dr Umar Farooq and his wife, Shahzada Akhtar, for their alleged involvement in the terror module. Authorities claim that the couple used their social status to influence and recruit local youth into extremist activities.
Authorities further accuse Shahzada of attempting to revive the women’s terror group ‘Dukhtaran-e-Milat’, which has remained inactive since the 2018 arrest of its chief, Asiya Andrabi.
The NIA’s search in Anantnag marks a significant step forward in gathering evidence and identifying additional conspirators linked to the Delhi blast.
Investigators are expected to continue operations across multiple regions to fully dismantle the network behind the attack.
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