A Lucknow-based doctor, identified as Dr Shaheen Shahid, has been arrested for allegedly playing a key role in setting up the women’s wing of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in India, police sources revealed. The development comes after a major explosives haul in Faridabad near Delhi, which is being probed as part of a larger terror conspiracy.

According to officials, Dr Shaheen Shahid was tasked with establishing and recruiting members for JeM’s women’s unit, Jamaat-ul-Mominaat, led by Sadia Azhar, the sister of JeM founder Masood Azhar, based in Pakistan.

Role and background of Dr Shaheen Shahid

Dr Shaheen Shahid, a resident of Lucknow’s Lal Bagh area, was allegedly involved with JeM’s Faridabad module, from where 2,900 kg of explosives, including suspected ammonium nitrate and 20 timers, were seized.
An assault rifle was also found in a car registered in her name during the investigation.

Officials said she was associated with Al-Falah University and maintained close contact with Dr Muzammil Ganaie alias Musaib, a Pulwama native and fellow doctor at the same university. Muzammil was arrested following the seizure of the explosives and was previously wanted in Jammu and Kashmir for displaying posters supporting JeM.

Links to Kandahar hijacking mastermind’s family

Investigators said that Sadia Azhar, who oversees Jamaat-ul-Mominaat, is married to Yusuf Azhar, a key plotter in the 1999 Kandahar hijacking. Yusuf Azhar was killed during Operation Sindoor on May 7.

The women’s wing was reportedly formed in October in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, and began recruiting women—particularly the wives of JeM commanders and financially weak students—from Bahawalpur, Karachi, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Haripur, and Mansehra.

Recovery and route linked to Delhi blast

The Maruti Suzuki Swift linked to Dr Shaheen Shahid, registered in Faridabad (HR 51), was used to store weapons and ammunition. Investigators discovered the cache following Muzammil’s interrogation. The revelations also led police to track the suspected route connecting Faridabad, Badarpur, and Red Fort, where a powerful car explosion occurred earlier this week, killing several people.

The national capital’s air quality has once again entered the ‘severe’ category for the first time this season, prompting authorities to enforce Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The move came after Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) shot up to 425, marking a sharp decline in atmospheric conditions across the city and its adjoining areas.

Delhi’s air quality hits alarming level

According to official data, multiple areas in Delhi recorded dangerously high pollution levels. Bawana topped the chart with an AQI of 462, followed by RK Puram (446), Patparganj (438), and Alipur (442). Anand Vihar logged 412, while Chandni Chowk recorded 416. These readings indicate heavy smog and particulate matter concentration across the city.

As per the Ministry of Environment, the city’s average AQI between January 1 and November 9, 2025, was 175 — a marginal improvement from 189 recorded during the same period last year. Concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 stood at 75 µg/m³ and 170 µg/m³ respectively, compared to 87 µg/m³ and 191 µg/m³ last year.

Decline in farm fire incidents

The data also shows a significant drop in stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana — two major contributors to Delhi’s annual smog. Punjab reported 4,062 fire events between September 15 and November 9 this year, marking a 35.2% decline compared to 2024. Haryana saw an even sharper fall of 65.3%, with only 333 fire counts this year against 959 last year.

Authorities said the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) continues to monitor the situation closely with state officials to ensure strict adherence to anti-pollution directives.

Restrictions under GRAP-3

With GRAP-3 now in force, the following restrictions are being implemented across Delhi-NCR:

• Complete ban on non-essential construction and demolition activities, including open-air operations of Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants.
• Ban on plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars.
• Suspension of transport of construction materials like sand and cement, especially on unpaved roads.
• Closure of stone crushers, mining, and hot-mix plants not running on clean fuel.
• Prohibition on diesel generator sets, except for emergency services.
• Restriction on inter-state diesel buses entering Delhi.
• Advisory for private companies to promote work-from-home or hybrid models.
• Schools up to Class 5 to shift to online mode to safeguard children from toxic air.
  

Essential projects such as metro, railways, sanitation, defence, and healthcare will continue under strict dust and waste management protocols.

In a major revelation, investigators have confirmed that the deadly explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which claimed nine lives, is connected to a “white-collar” terror network busted in a joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana Police. According to top sources, the car used in the blast belonged to Dr. Umar Mohammad from Pulwama, south Kashmir, who was allegedly part of the module.

Car owner identified as Pulwama doctor linked to module

Sources revealed that Dr. Umar panicked after two of his associates—Dr. Mujammil Shakeel and Dr. Adil Rather—were arrested in Faridabad, leading him to trigger the blast near the Red Fort. Over 2,900 kilograms of suspected explosives had been seized from two rented houses in Haryana in the preceding days.

The Delhi Police have now invoked sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), treating the case as a terror attack. They have also added provisions under the Explosive Substances Act, and charges of murder and attempt to murder.

Investigators suspect ammonium nitrate was used in the blast, which also matches the material recovered from the Faridabad raids. The car, seen moving from the Red Fort towards central Delhi before the explosion, may have had targets elsewhere in the capital.

Multi-agency probe underway

The explosion occurred at a red light near the Red Fort, engulfing six vehicles and several rickshaws in flames. Visuals from the scene showed mangled cars, scattered debris, and severe human casualties. Police Commissioner Satish Golcha confirmed that a slow-moving car exploded while stationary, damaging nearby vehicles and killing multiple people.

A large-scale investigation has been launched, involving the Delhi Police, Jammu and Kashmir Police, NIA, NSG, Intelligence Bureau, Haryana Police, UP ATS, and forensic teams. A suspect named Tariq has been detained in Pulwama, with initial questioning revealing that the car had changed ownership multiple times before the blast.

“White-collar” module of radicalised professionals

Officials described the busted group as a “white-collar terror module” involving educated individuals, including doctors and other professionals, allegedly working under foreign handlers. Raids across Srinagar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, Shopian, and Faridabad led to the recovery of over 2,900 kilograms of bomb-making materials, 20 timers, assault rifles, handguns, and ammunition.

Home Minister Amit Shah has stated that “no possibility is being ruled out” and that all angles, including cross-border involvement, are under investigation. Delhi remains on high alert as questioning of suspects continues.