Unmasking the Doctors: Inside the Digital Radicalisation of a Terror Module

A terror module involving doctors radicalized through social media platforms was discovered after a bombing in the Red Fort area. The investigation revealed a shift in terror strategies, with recruitment and grooming conducted entirely online by handlers outside India. The module was dismantled by police efforts across multiple states.

The digital radicalisation of doctors into a 'white-collar' terror module, revealed by the recent Red Fort bombing, began as early as 2019, officials confirmed. The probe shows a strategic shift where educated professionals are being groomed online by operatives from Pakistan and beyond.

Key figures, including Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Adeel Rather, were monitored on platforms like Facebook before being drawn into private groups on Telegram, where brainwashing commenced. While Ganaie and Rather are now in custody, Dr Muzzafar Rather has fled to Afghanistan, sparking efforts for his extradition.

The investigation, resulting in a joint police operation across Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, led to the recovery of explosives and highlighted a growing trend of digital recruitment in terror networks as direct contacts become challenging.

(With inputs from agencies.)