Red Fort blast: Missing Al-Falah doctor was sacked by J&K admin in 2023

Investigators say Dr Nisar allegedly taught under a false identity despite a 2023 dismissal under Article 311(2)(C) for promoting secessionist propaganda.

Investigators probing the Red Fort blast that killed 10 people earlier this week are trying to track down another Kashmiri doctor from Faridabad’s Al-Falah Medical College, who went missing days before the attack.

Students told agencies he taught medicine until late October, as NIA investigates links between multiple doctors and the suspected JeM module. (HT)

Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan, from Achabal Sopore in Baramulla district , was dismissed from government service in Jammu and Kashmir two years ago for posing a “threat to state security” — yet managed to resurface in in the NCR under a new identity.

Police have been investigating three other doctors with ties to the medical college who are allegedly members of a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) module. One of the doctors, Mohammad Umar, is suspected to have driven the car that exploded on an arterial road near the Red Fort. The other, Dr Muzammil Ganaie, was arrested some weeks ago as part of a probe into radical posters that were put up in Kashmir. The third, Dr Shaheen Shahid, was arrested along with Muzammil, who allegedly used her car to transport explosive materials.. Raids on locations in Faridabad based on information from the interrogation of Ganaie led to the seizure of nearly 3000 kg of ammonium nitrate and other explosive materials.

The National Investigating Agency has formally taken charge of the investigations.

According to officials, Dr Nisar was terminated from service in November 2023 by the Jammu and Kashmir administration under Article 311(2)(C) of the Constitution, which allows the government to dismiss employees without an inquiry in the interest of state security. The order had accused him of using his position as president of the Doctors Association of Kashmir to promote secessionist propaganda “under Pakistani patronage.”

His termination order said: “The lieutenant governor is satisfied after considering the facts and circumstances of the case and on the basis of the information available, that the activities of Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan, assistant professor (medicine) SHMS hospital Srinagar S/o Ghulam Hassan R/o Achabal, Sopore, Baramulla are such as to warrant his dismissal from service.”

Despite being on the government’s watchlist, Dr Nisar allegedly obtained a teaching position at Al-Falah Medical College under a changed name, evading scrutiny during recruitment. Investigators said they are now examining whether his appointment resulted from gross negligence or deliberate complicity.

“It’s alarming that a doctor sacked for terror links found refuge here under a new identity. This points to either severe oversight or active assistance in recruitment,” said a senior J&K Police officer involved in the probe.

Students told investigators that a faculty member matching Dr Nisar’s description taught medicine at the college until late October. “He rarely interacted with others but was regular in his classes. We were told he was from Kashmir,” said a postgraduate student.

Dr Nisar’s termination was part of a wider crackdown launched by the J&K administration after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Since 2019, over 80 government employees have been dismissed under Article 311(2)(C) for alleged involvement in activities deemed anti-national, including police personnel, teachers, and civil servants.