The Red Fort blast in Delhi, which killed 13 people earlier this week, has exposed an elaborate “white-collar” terror network allegedly involving highly educated individuals — including doctors linked to universities in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. As investigators trace international links, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have now approached Interpol for a Red Corner Notice against a Kashmiri doctor believed to have “fled abroad”.
Who is Dr Muzaffar?
Dr Muzaffar, a medical practitioner from Qazigund in south Kashmir, is the brother of Dr Adil, one of the eight people arrested in the terror module case connected to the blast.
According to officials, Dr Muzaffar’s name surfaced during the interrogation of the arrested suspects. He is alleged to be part of a group of doctors who travelled to Turkiye in 2021, along with Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Umar Nabi — the latter being identified through DNA tests as the man who drove the explosives-laden Hyundai i20 that exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening.
Police sources said that when investigators tried to trace Muzaffar after his name emerged, they discovered that he had left India for Dubai in August and is now believed to be in Afghanistan.
The ‘White-Collar’ Terror Module
The Red Fort blast investigation has revealed what officials describe as a “white-collar terror module” — a network involving educated professionals allegedly influenced by radical ideologies.
Eight individuals have so far been arrested — seven from Kashmir — with reported links to banned outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH). The group was allegedly working to carry out coordinated attacks across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
During searches in Faridabad, police seized over 3,000 kg of explosive material, including ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, and sulphur. Officials also found traces of high-grade explosives at the Delhi blast site, some reportedly more powerful than ammonium nitrate.
The Turkiye Connection
Investigators say that the three doctors’ 21-day stay in Turkiye in 2021 is under scrutiny. They allegedly attended events that may have facilitated contact with radical groups.
However, Turkiye’s Directorate of Communications Centre for Countering Disinformation has denied any link, calling media reports that implicate its territory in terrorist activities “baseless and malicious disinformation” aimed at harming India-Turkiye relations.
The Road Ahead
With the Interpol Red Corner Notice request filed, international agencies may soon join efforts to track down Dr Muzaffar, believed to be a key member of the terror module. Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) continues to coordinate with Delhi Police and J&K Police to unearth the full extent of the cross-border network behind one of the deadliest blasts in the capital in recent years.
