Red Fort blast unmasks India’s new threat: the rise of ‘White-Collar Terrorists’

In a chilling new trend, the investigation has revealed a terror module composed not of battle-hardened militants from the mountains of Kashmir or the border zones of Punjab, but of doctors and medical professionals — individuals from educated, urban, “white-collar” backgrounds.

This evolving face of terrorism — radicalised professionals using intellect and access rather than guerrilla warfare — marks a dark new chapter in India’s fight against extremism.

Authorities are now calling it the rise of the “White-Collar Terrorist” — an insider threat operating under the guise of respectability.

Here’s what we know so far about this shocking case and the disturbing network that led to the Red Fort tragedy.

The blast that sparked a nationwide investigation

The explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10 killed nine people and injured several others, setting off a massive counterterrorism operation.

Within hours, investigators linked traces from the blast site to ammonium nitrate fuel oil or ANFO, the same explosive compound found in bulk in a Faridabad apartment — just 40 kilometres away.

Over 2,900 kg of bomb-making material was recovered, including 350 kg of ANFO, electronic timers, remote controls, wires, and batteries.

This discovery pointed to a well-organised network with significant logistical capabilities and cross-border coordination.

Preliminary reports now confirm the involvement of two banned terrorist organisations — Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH) — both backed by Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus.

Doctors turned extremists: The 'white-Collar' threat

The most alarming revelation from the investigation is the profile of the accused. Among those detained or under scrutiny are at least five doctors and medical professionals.

These individuals, hailing from Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, allegedly used their professional cover to build and fund an underground terror network.

They were well-educated, socially respected — and, in many cases, directly connected to major medical institutions.

This shift — from gun-toting insurgents to white-collar radicals — is being seen as a strategic evolution in Pakistan-backed terror strategy.

It allows operatives to blend seamlessly into urban Indian life while maintaining access to technology, funds, and influence.

The mastermind: Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, the ‘Professor of Explosives’

At the centre of the network is Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, alias Musaib, a medical professional from Pulwama.

He worked at Al-Falah Hospital in Faridabad, where he also taught MBBS students.

When the police raided his rented accommodation, they discovered a staggering 360 kg of explosives, firearms, and detailed manuals on making IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices).

Investigators later found that Ganaie had conducted multiple reconnaissance visits to Delhi’s Red Fort in January 2025, scouting entry and exit points.

Mobile dump data and CCTV footage have since confirmed his presence near the blast site on several occasions.

The propagandist: Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather’s online radical network

Another key figure, Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather from Anantnag, worked at V Bros Hospital in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

He was arrested after police identified him in CCTV footage pasting pro-Jaish-e-Mohammed posters across Srinagar — messages that praised the banned group and threatened Indian security forces.

Rather’s online activities show that he was part of multiple encrypted chat groups linked to handlers based in Pakistan.

According to investigators, he served as the propaganda and recruitment arm of the module, targeting educated youth through digital channels.

The executioner: Dr Umar Nabi and the car bomb blast

Dr Umar Nabi, another medical professional from Pulwama, is believed to be the prime executor of the Red Fort blast.

Employed at the same Al-Falah Medical College, he allegedly planted and detonated the IED-laden car after fearing exposure following the arrest of his colleagues.

Investigators say Nabi was deeply radicalised and trained in handling explosives through online sessions coordinated by operatives across the border.

His access to chemicals and medical-grade substances reportedly helped him assemble the bomb without drawing suspicion.

The recruiter: Dr Shaheen Shahid and the women’s wing of JeM

A major twist in the case came with the arrest of Dr Shaheen Shahid, a Lucknow-based medical professional also associated with Al-Falah Medical College.

Police describe her as a key recruiter for Jaish-e-Mohammed’s women’s wing, Jamaat-ul-Mominat.

Shahid allegedly worked on radicalising young women online, spreading extremist propaganda under the guise of religious study groups.

Her links to Pakistan-based handlers and encrypted communication networks have deepened suspicions of a gender-inclusive recruitment drive by terror outfits seeking new social legitimacy.

The insider connection: Dr Parvez Ansari and the Faridabad nexus

Dr Parvez Ansari, the younger brother of Dr Shahid, has also been detained by the Uttar Pradesh Police and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

Investigators say he was part of the logistics chain that handled the transfer of cash and explosives between Faridabad and Delhi.

His proximity to other suspects and his access to hospital supply chains have raised questions about whether medical procurement systems were being used to source materials for bomb-making.

The network unravels: J&K Police and multi-state raids

The investigation that exposed this network began weeks before the blast, when multiple Jaish-linked posters were found in Srinagar.

Acting on this, the Jammu and Kashmir Police launched raids across Srinagar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, and Shopian, uncovering an interlinked network that stretched into Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Over 2,900 kg of IED-making material, sophisticated weapons — including a Russian-made Krinkov rifle, an Italian Beretta pistol, and large caches of ammunition — were seized.

The operation also uncovered evidence of foreign funding routes, with intelligence agencies tracing financial links to handlers operating from Pakistan and West Asia.

Pakistan’s shadow: New terror blueprint

Intelligence reports indicate that the Red Fort blast and the subsequent arrests are part of a larger Pakistan-backed plan to destabilise India through new “invisible” cells.

Groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, reportedly supported by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), are now collaborating with outfits such as the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) to build sleeper networks of educated, urban radicals — a model inspired by global terror cells in Europe and the Middle East.

A 'red flag' for India’s security apparatus

The Delhi Red Fort blast represents more than just another terror attack — it signals a paradigm shift.

The involvement of medical professionals, the use of legitimate institutions for cover, and the seamless integration of urban operatives show that terrorism in India is adapting faster than ever before.

For India’s security agencies, this is a wake-up call to an unsettling reality — where the next big threat may not come from across the border, but from within the walls of a hospital, a university, or a clinic.

The “White-Collar Terrorist” is no longer an anomaly; it’s the new red flag in India’s evolving war on terror.