TL;DR
The Jammu and Kashmir Police uncovered a major terror plot in Haryana’s Faridabad after the arrest of a Kashmiri doctor, Adil Ahmad Rather, who allegedly had links to the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Acting on his disclosures, police recovered 350 kg of ammonium nitrate, assault rifles, ammunition, and timers, averting a potential large-scale terror attack near the national capital, Delhi.
The Discovery: 350 kg of Explosives and Weapons Near Delhi
In a breakthrough, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, in coordination with the Faridabad Police, unearthed a cache of explosives and arms on Monday. Acting on inputs from an arrested suspect, the team recovered 350 kg of ammonium nitrate, assault rifles, pistols, ammunition, and timer devices from multiple hideouts in Faridabad, located just a few kilometers from Delhi.
“It is suspected to be ammonium nitrate… It is not RDX,” said Satender Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Faridabad.
“One assault rifle with three magazines and 83 live rounds, one pistol with eight live rounds, two empty cartridges, 20 timers with batteries, 24 remotes, electric wiring, walkie-talkie sets, and other contraband have been recovered.”
The police emphasized that while the weapon resembled an AK-47, it was not an AK-47 but a smaller variant of an assault rifle.
The explosives were reportedly stored across eight large and four small suitcases, along with other materials capable of assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Who Is Adil Ahmad Rather?
The man behind the lead, Dr. Adil Ahmad Rather, hails from Qazigund, a town in south Kashmir.
A medical professional by training, Rather worked as a senior resident at Government Medical College (GMC), Anantnag, until October 2024. He later joined a private hospital in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, roughly 200 km from Delhi.
On November 6, a joint team comprising Srinagar Police, Saharanpur Police, and the Special Operations Group (SOG) raided the hospital on Ambala Road, Saharanpur, leading to Rather’s arrest.
CCTV footage allegedly showed him putting up pro-Jaish-e-Mohammed posters in multiple locations across Srinagar, which led investigators to trace his movements.
Following his arrest, a local court in Saharanpur granted transit remand for his transfer to Srinagar, where further interrogation revealed the cache in Faridabad.
Police sources confirmed that no prior criminal record was found against Rather in Uttar Pradesh.
The Investigation So Far
Authorities suspect the explosives and arms were meant to be used for a major terror strike in northern India, possibly in Delhi-NCR. Investigators are now probing:
- The intended target and timing of the planned attack.
- Potential local collaborators who helped store or transport the explosives.
- Whether foreign handlers or terror networks based in Pakistan were involved.
Sources said the investigation is being coordinated with national intelligence agencies, and the material seized has been sent for forensic and chemical analysis.
Broader Security Implications
The recovery has triggered heightened security alerts across Delhi-NCR, with the police increasing surveillance near transport hubs, crowded markets, and critical installations.
“Given the quantity of explosives and the level of planning, this could have been a catastrophic attack,” said a senior security official familiar with the probe.
The case underscores growing concerns over radicalization networks exploiting educated professionals and cross-border terror financing channels.
What Happens Next
Dr. Rather is currently under joint interrogation by J&K Police and central intelligence agencies. More arrests are likely as the investigation expands into both Kashmir and northern India.
Authorities say this is among the largest recoveries of explosive material in Haryana in recent years and could be linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed’s renewed attempts to carry out attacks in mainland India.
