New Delhi: In a disturbing revelation, the ongoing probe into the Delhi Red Fort car blast has uncovered a dangerous pattern of radicalisation among educated professionals, including doctors and medical students. Investigators believe that the Faridabad-based module, which orchestrated the attack, was composed of individuals who used their academic and professional credibility to evade security scrutiny.
At the heart of the investigation is Dr Shaheen Saeed, a medical professional from Uttar Pradesh, whose role has emerged as critical in funding and facilitating the terror operation. Sources told intelligence agencies that Dr Saeed was closely linked to Dr Umar, believed to have been driving the car that exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening, killing at least twelve people and injuring several others.
Educated core of terror module
According to top intelligence inputs, the group’s core consisted of highly educated individuals, many of whom had medical or technical backgrounds. Their professional credentials reportedly allowed them to operate under the guise of social service and humanitarian work, shielding their true activities from law enforcement.
Dr Shaheen’s association with Dr Umar and Dr Muzammil Shakeel—both medical graduates from Al-Falah Medical College in Faridabad—has drawn attention to the emerging pattern of extremist indoctrination within professional circles.
Links to Jaish-e-Mohammed’s women’s wing
Sources say that Dr Shaheen was radicalised through a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) initiative aimed at setting up a women’s brigade for psychological warfare in India. She was reportedly responsible for recruiting women sympathisers, especially from medical and educational institutions, and was considered an active facilitator within the module.
Investigators are examining evidence suggesting that Shaheen managed funds amounting to ₹35–40 lakh to finance the operation. Much of this money, officials believe, was mobilised through her professional contacts and NGO-linked networks under the pretext of medical welfare activities.
Vehicle and fund trail lead to Dr Shaheen
The vehicle used for transporting weapons recovered from Faridabad on Sunday has also been traced back to Dr Shaheen’s name, further establishing her direct involvement.
Officials say she used encrypted communication channels, often through medical aid and welfare groups, to coordinate with other accused, including Muzammil and Umar. These fronts, initially appearing legitimate, were later found to be covers for illicit fund transfers and communication.
Investigators widen probe to Al-Falah network
The probe has also cast a spotlight on Al-Falah University in Faridabad, which has now emerged as a potential recruitment hub for several members of the module. Intelligence officials suspect that radical elements infiltrated educational spaces to influence young professionals and spread extremist ideologies under the guise of academic and welfare initiatives.
A senior investigator involved in the probe said,
“This case marks a dangerous new trend — the use of education and professional credibility to legitimise extremist activity. The role of doctors in this network shows how deeply radicalisation has penetrated even among the well-educated.”
A new internal security concern
With the investigation expanding across Delhi, Faridabad, and Uttar Pradesh, security agencies are now grappling with the growing radicalisation of educated and privileged individuals, particularly within the medical community.
The involvement of a woman doctor in both funding and recruitment has raised alarm among intelligence officials, who warn that terror networks are increasingly targeting educated youth to build covert, ideologically motivated cells.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with Delhi Police’s Special Cell, continues to track financial trails, encrypted communications, and cross-border connections to determine the full extent of the network’s reach.