Terror module, the beginning: Kashmir cleric’s chance visit to hospital, where accused doctor worked

Investigators said Wagay and Ganai kept in touch after the latter left the Valley to pursue a job in Haryana, while the former stayed back as a cleric in Srinagar.

“We believe we have arrested the key members of this module,” said a senior police officer. “There may be some forward and backward linkages, and we are working on untangling those.”

According to investigators, Wagay proved to be the crucial — and only — link that would connect the October crackdown on Jaish-related posters in Kashmir and the terror module busted the following month.

“In October, when some posters related to the Jaish-e-Mohammad cropped up and J&K Police started a probe, we got some clues from CCTV footage. We picked up two youths and they led us to a man in Ganderbal,” said a source. “This man led us to Mufti (Irfan). It was during Irfan’s questioning that the mention of the Faridabad doctor first came up. But even he did not know that they had gone so far (in terms of planning a terror attack),” the source said.

Sources familiar with the questioning of the accused said they believe Shaheen was providing financial support to the group and letting Ganai use her vehicle, which has been recovered from Faridabad.

The arrested doctors are learnt to have told investigators that they were “moved by the plight” of Muslims in J&K and across the world.

The arrested doctors are learnt to have told investigators that they had not picked a target or date for a potential attack. “They told us they didn’t know anything about the Red Fort attack since they did not plan it. One of them said they were still in the planning phase when the module was busted. It seems Nabi felt vulnerable and acted in haste,” said a source. DNA tests have confirmed he was the Red Fort bomber.

Digital devices seized from the arrested doctors and their family members have been sent to Delhi for technical analysis.