A recent investigation has exposed a new dimension in India’s security scenario: white-collar terror. Authorities uncovered a terror network involving highly educated professionals, including doctors, across Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Haryana.

The plot reportedly aimed at radicalizing professionals and establishing logistical cells linked to terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Security agencies describe this as a deliberate tactic to exploit the trust and mobility that comes with professional credentials.

A white-collar terror network involves highly educated professionals, such as doctors or engineers, who are radicalized and used to plan or execute terrorist activities. Exploiting their trusted status, these individuals can procure materials, travel freely, and operate under minimal scrutiny, making such networks harder to detect and increasingly sophisticated in executing attacks.

Doctors as Unlikely Operatives

Several doctors have emerged as key suspects in the network. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, a Pulwama resident and faculty at Al-Falah University, allegedly stored around 360 kg of explosives and conducted reconnaissance near Delhi’s Red Fort. Adeel Ahmad Rather from Anantnag, working in Uttar Pradesh, and Umar Nabi, another Al-Falah Medical College doctor, are suspected to have planned or executed terror activities.

Investigators also identified Shaheen Shahid and Parvez Ansari, doctors based in Lucknow, as part of the module recruiting women for extremist purposes.

Exploiting Professional Cover

Security sources explain that terror groups recruit professionals because they face minimal scrutiny. Doctors, for example, can justify frequent travel, receive deliveries, and access controlled chemicals under the guise of medical or institutional needs.

In this case, ammonium nitrate, a regulated chemical commonly used in fertilizers but also in explosives, was allegedly procured in small consignments to avoid detection and consolidated in rented safe houses. The 2,900 kg of bomb-making material recovered highlights the scale of the operation.

A New Modus Operandi

Experts warn that the use of professional covers represents a shift from conventional militancy to a more sophisticated form of terrorism. By blending into legitimate workplaces and leveraging access to regulated chemicals, white-collar operatives can plan high-intensity attacks without attracting immediate suspicion.

The recent Red Fort blast, linked to traces of ammonium nitrate found in Faridabad, underscores the operational effectiveness of this approach.

National Security Implications

Investigations suggest that this is not a case of isolated individuals but a coordinated multi-state network. Authorities are examining links to institutions like Al-Falah University and Integral University and tracking communications, movements, and financial transactions to dismantle the module.

The emergence of white-collar terror underscores the evolving challenges for India’s counter-terrorism apparatus, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance within professional and academic environments.

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