The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has foiled a major terror conspiracy with the arrest of three individuals, including a Hyderabad-based doctor, who were plotting to execute large-scale attacks using weapons and chemical agents.

The operation, conducted on the basis of intelligence inputs, uncovered a sinister plan involving the deadly toxin ricin and arms brought in through Pakistan via drone.

Officials revealed that Dr Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed, an MBBS graduate who studied in China, was apprehended on 7 November near Adalaj in Gandhinagar district.

He was found in possession of two Glock pistols, a Beretta handgun, 30 live cartridges, and four litres of castor oil, a precursor used in the production of ricin. The ATS noted that the accused had begun initial chemical processing to synthesise the lethal substance, indicating an advanced stage of preparation.

Preliminary investigations suggest that Saiyed was radicalised online and was in direct contact with his handler, identified as Abu Khadija, an Afghan national associated with the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP).

Khadija reportedly coordinated with operatives in Pakistan to smuggle arms consignments into India using drones, a tactic increasingly employed by terror groups to evade border surveillance. Saiyed had allegedly received one such consignment from a drop location in Kalol, Gandhinagar, for onward delivery and use in targeted attacks.

During questioning, Saiyed disclosed that he had planned to raise funds, recruit local supporters, and expand the network of operatives to execute the planned strike.

He had recced several sensitive locations across Ahmedabad, Lucknow, and Delhi, signalling the possibility of multi-city terror operations. Investigators stated that Saiyed’s technical background and exposure abroad made him capable of weaponising chemical agents for large-scale casualties.

Following his interrogation, the ATS pursued leads from Saiyed’s mobile data and arrested two of his associates, Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail Mohammad Saleem, from Banaskantha district. Both are residents of Uttar Pradesh and had reportedly procured firearms from Hanumangadh in Rajasthan before delivering them to Saiyed in Gujarat. Their statements corroborated that arms were supplied through aerial drops from across the Pakistan border.

Officials have registered cases against all three under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, and the Arms Act.

Dr Saiyed has been remanded in ATS custody until 17 November for detailed interrogation, while the other two accused will be presented before the court. Authorities are probing the full extent of their network, financial transactions, and overseas links with ISKP and its facilitators.

The seizure of chemicals, weapons, and communication evidence points to a meticulous and transnational operation, combining both chemical and kinetic terror components.

Forensic experts have been called to examine the seized material to confirm ricin traces and assess its manufacturing stage. The ATS has also briefed central agencies for coordination, as the case spans multiple states and international handlers.

Investigators believe that the arrests may have pre-empted an imminent attack aimed at high-profile or densely populated targets.

The case underscores the growing convergence of radical ideology, cross-border arms smuggling, and chemical warfare tactics — a threat profile that Indian security agencies have increasingly warned about.

With the network under active investigation, further arrests and recovered consignments are expected as the probe deepens into one of Gujarat ATS’s most significant counter-terror operations in recent years.

Based On PTI Report