Dr Muzammil’s family denies Red Fort blast links: 'Want both sons released, we’re completely Indians'

Naseema also revealed that another son has been taken into custody.

The family of Dr Muzammil Ganaie, arrested after authorities recovered 360 kg of explosives from his rented accommodation in Faridabad, on Tuesday, denied any knowledge of his involvement in terrorist activities.

Speaking from Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, his mother, Naseema, said that Muzammil had left home around four years ago to work as a doctor in Delhi. She added that the family was unaware of his activities during this period.

“We had no information about him during this period. We only learned of his arrest through others,” she told reporters, adding that police did not allow the family to meet him after his detention.

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Naseema also revealed that another son has been taken into custody. “They are saying my son is a suspect in the Delhi blast. I do not know anything about this. I just want both of my sons to be released,” she said.

Dr Muzammil, a teacher at Al Falah University, was arrested from his rented accommodation in Faridabad’s Dhauj area during a joint operation by Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir Police. Authorities recovered around 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate, along with weapons, timers, and other explosive materials from the property.

The arrest was part of a larger crackdown on a radicalised network of medical professionals allegedly plotting terror attacks across India. Investigations revealed a “sleeper cell” operating under professional cover, with links across Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.

Speaking from Pulwama, Muzammil’s brother, Azad Shakil, denied the allegations. “It is being alleged that he is a big terrorist. We have no knowledge of this. For the past five decades, no one in our family has been involved in any case,” he said. Shakil added that the family, primarily farmers, has faced hostility in the past for their nationalist stance. “We are completely Indians and have taken stones for India. You can verify this with anyone in the village,” he said.

Describing Muzammil as a “good person,” Shakil added, “There are allegations about his involvement in terror activities, but we have not been allowed to meet him so far.” He said Muzammil had returned home to attend his sister’s wedding, originally scheduled for Sunday, which has now been cancelled. The doctor had also visited Kashmir earlier for his father’s surgical procedure.

According to officials, the network began forming in 2021-22 under a man named Hashim and was later reorganised by Dr Omar in the Valley. Dr Adeel, a Kashmiri-origin doctor, reportedly acted as a recruiter and provided connections to Dr Muzammil in Faridabad. CCTV footage had traced Adeel to Saharanpur, and his interrogation led authorities to the larger network of radicalised medics.

Raids carried out on the basis of Adeel’s disclosures led to the seizure of 350 kg of ammonium nitrate, chemicals used for IEDs, an AK-47 rifle with magazines, a pistol with live rounds, and other ammunition. Earlier, an AK-47 had also been recovered from Dr Adeel’s locker at Government Medical College in Anantnag.

In addition to Dr Muzammil, a woman doctor, reportedly an acquaintance, has emerged as a key suspect in the Faridabad explosives case and is being questioned by police in Jammu and Kashmir.

Notably, the developments come hours before the deadly Red Fort car blast in Delhi, which killed 12 people and injured 20.