J&K Police Bust Terror Module, Recover 350kg Explosives in Faridabad
In a major counterterrorism breakthrough, the Jammu & Kashmir Police, in collaboration with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Faridabad Police, foiled a potential large-scale terror plot on Sunday. Authorities recovered around 350 kilograms of explosives, one AK-47 rifle, and a substantial cache of ammunition from a rented accommodation in Dhauj village, Faridabad.
The operation followed specific intelligence inputs obtained during the interrogation of arrested terror suspects in Jammu & Kashmir. Acting swiftly, a joint team raided the house rented by Dr. Muzammil Shakil, a faculty member at Al Falah Medical College, who hails from Jammu & Kashmir. Police revealed that Shakil had been living in the house for nearly three months.
Faridabad Police Commissioner Satender Gupta confirmed the recovery, stating, “The seized materials included 14 bags of ammonium nitrate weighing nearly 100kg, an AK-47 rifle, 84 live cartridges, timers, and five litres of a chemical solution.” Gupta clarified that the explosives were not RDX, as initially speculated, but ammonium nitrate—a substance commonly used in improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Arrests Lead to Discovery of Massive Explosive Cache
According to officials, the raid was a result of interrogations linked to the arrest of Dr. Adil Ahmad Rather, another suspect associated with the same terror module. Dr. Shakil was taken into custody by J&K Police on October 30 and brought to Faridabad on Sunday morning to identify and recover the hidden materials.
Police recovered a total of 48 items suspected to be used for assembling IEDs, including detonators, timers, and connecting wires. Initial investigations suggest both suspects were part of a larger terror network with cross-border links.
A senior J&K Police officer described the seizure as “a major breakthrough that may have prevented a catastrophic attack in northern India.” He added that initial forensic tests confirmed the explosive nature of the recovered substances, and further analyses are ongoing.
Authorities believe the ammonium nitrate and other materials could have been used to create multiple high-intensity IEDs, capable of inflicting significant damage if deployed in crowded or strategic locations.
Security Agencies Probe Cross-Border Links and Funding
The seized materials have been sent to forensic laboratories for detailed examination. Meanwhile, multiple intelligence and law enforcement agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), are expected to join the ongoing probe.
Investigators are focusing on uncovering the funding sources and international connections of the suspected network. Preliminary findings indicate the module was planning coordinated attacks across northern India, possibly targeting critical infrastructure or urban centers.
A senior intelligence officer noted that such operations often involve sleeper cells embedded across multiple states. “The timely coordination between state and central agencies ensured this plot was stopped before execution,” the officer said.
The IB and J&K Police are continuing to trace communications and financial transactions linked to the suspects to identify potential handlers across the border.
Official Response and Security Reinforcement
Faridabad Police Commissioner Gupta announced that a press conference would be held at 11 a.m. to share more details regarding the operation and the network behind it.
In response to the discovery, security has been heightened across Delhi-NCR and adjoining states. Local police have been directed to conduct checks on rented accommodations and new tenants, particularly in sensitive areas.
Experts say this operation highlights the growing importance of intelligence-sharing between states. Former security analyst Col. R.K. Singh (Retd) noted, “This case underlines the need for proactive surveillance and data-based monitoring of potential extremist elements using legitimate identities.”
The investigation continues as agencies work to identify the full scope of the terror network and its possible objectives.