In a major counter-terror breakthrough, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with the Haryana Police, uncovered one of the largest explosive and weapons hauls linked to the Valley in recent years.

The joint operation in Faridabad resulted in the recovery of an assault rifle, 360 kilogrammes of explosive material, believed to be ammonium nitrate, 20 timers, batteries, three magazines, 83 live rounds, and several other items used for assembling explosive devices.

This dramatic recovery was not an isolated discovery—it came after the arrest and interrogation of Kashmiri doctor Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, who provided crucial information that led investigators to a rented accommodation near Al Falah Hospital in Faridabad. Authorities raided the premises and uncovered the explosive stockpile, exposing a systematic terror module that had silently stretched from GMC Anantnag in Kashmir to Al Falah Hospital in Haryana.

According to officials, Dr Rather played a significant role in both storing and transporting weapons. Prior to his arrest, authorities had already seized an AK-47 rifle and ammunition from his locker at the Government Medical College (GMC) in Anantnag. Investigators revealed that he had resigned from his senior residency there and moved to Saharanpur, raising suspicions about his movements and associations.

Dr Rather is also accused of displaying pro-Jaish-e-Mohammed posters in Srinagar, an act that had earlier drawn police attention. Another major detail that emerged during the investigation was his suspicious stay pattern in Faridabad. Around three months before the raid, he rented a room in Dhauj village, yet he never stayed there—he only used it to store supplies. Coincidentally, the Al Falah Medical College where he was working is also located in the same area, which deepened investigators’ suspicions.

As the probe widened, another doctor, Dr Muzamil Shakeel, a resident of Koil in Pulwama, was arrested from Saharanpur. Investigators believe he may have assisted in the stockpiling of explosives and weapons recovered from Faridabad. Both doctors have now been transported to Jammu and Kashmir for further questioning. According to officials, this recovery ranks among the most significant in recent years, highlighting a dangerous expansion of terror networks into civilian institutions.

Security agencies suspect the existence of a larger nexus involving illegal arms trafficking and terror funding, possibly extending across multiple states. With the discovery that the weapons were stored in medical facilities, investigators have begun probing whether more individuals in the medical sector may be connected to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ghazwat-ul-Hind.

A senior police officer was quoted as saying, “This is not a routine recovery, it suggests deep infiltration of terror logistics networks extending beyond J&K. The use of medical professionals as facilitators adds an alarming dimension.” His statement underscores the scale of the threat and the sophistication of the network being uncovered.

The investigation expanded further when it was revealed that the assault rifle had been discovered inside a car belonging to a woman doctor posted at the same Al Falah Hospital. She has now been detained as well, as authorities examine how her vehicle became part of the illicit operations.

The accused have been booked under UAPA sections 13, 28, 38 and 39, along with sections 7/25 of the Arms Act, and the operation continues to unfold. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a wider anti-terror crackdown. On 9 November, nine people, including a woman, were arrested during raids across the Valley as part of ongoing counter-terror operations.

Intelligence inputs had also warned that terrorists hiding in upper mountainous regions were searching for winter-safe hideouts in plains. Following these alerts, massive search operations were launched across several districts, including Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda, Kathua, Reasi, Poonch, and Rajouri.

The discovery in Faridabad has raised serious concerns that a major terror plot targeting the National Capital Region (NCR) or other important northern locations may have been foiled just in time. With cross-state linkages now emerging, the security grid is working to dismantle what appears to be an extensive, deeply-embedded network of facilitators, operatives, and ideologically radicalised professionals.

The probe continues, and officials expect more arrests and recoveries in the days ahead.