Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested two doctors from Kanpur and Hapur for suspected links to the ongoing Delhi blast investigation. Both doctors, originally from Jammu and Kashmir, are believed to have connections with individuals already under the radar for terror-related activities.
In Kanpur, ATS officials picked up Dr. Mohammad Arif, a cardiologist posted at the Heart Disease Institute. Arif, a native of Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, is pursuing a DM in cardiology and had been in the city for just a few months. Initial investigation revealed that he was in contact with Dr. Shaheen and her brother Parvez, both of whom are already under investigation for alleged terror links.
ATS sources said Arif’s laptop and mobile phone were seized during the raid, and some suspicious data was found. He was later taken to Delhi for interrogation, where he will be confronted with other accused arrested in the Delhi blast case.
Arif’s arrest created unease among doctors in Kanpur. Teams of ATS and NIA remained stationed at the medical campus throughout the day, questioning several faculty members and resident doctors. A few were briefly detained for questioning and later released. Officials said the agencies are now examining whether any wider network of radical influence exists within the medical fraternity.
In a parallel operation, another team of the UP ATS arrested Dr. Farooq, an assistant professor in the obstetrics and gynaecology department of GS Medical College in Pilkhuwa, Hapur district. Also a native of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq had been teaching at the college for about a year and was residing on the campus.
Sources said his questioning has provided crucial leads that could help trace the larger conspiracy behind the Delhi explosion. Investigators suspect that he may have been in touch with individuals linked to a terror outfit using the medical profession as a cover for its activities.
The ATS is now coordinating with the Delhi Police’s Special Cell and central intelligence agencies to track possible sleeper cells operating through medical and academic institutions. Officials said the investigation is still in its early stages, but the two arrests have opened a new line of inquiry into the terror network’s reach in Uttar Pradesh.