2,563 kg ammonium nitrate, used to make bombs, seized from J&K doctor's rented Faridabad house

The development comes a day after the recovery of 360 kilograms of explosives and weapons from a rented house in Dhauj village

Updated on: Nov 10, 2025, 17:59:29 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Around 2,563 kilograms of ammonium nitrate were recovered from a house in Fatehpur Taga village of Faridabad, police said on Monday. According to police, the owner of the house has been detained for questioning.

According to police, the owner of the house has been detained for questioning. (PTI file photo)

The development comes a day after the recovery of 360 kilograms of explosives and weapons from a rented house in Dhauj village. The house was occupied by Dr Muzammil Shakil, a 35-year-old physician from Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, who taught at Al-Falah Medical College, police said.

Also Read: Bomb found in abandoned bag at Delhi flower market

According to Varun Dahiya, assistant commissioner of police (Crime), Faridabad, Dr Shakil had rented the Fatehpur Taga house from the imam about eight months ago.

“We have found two houses that were rented by the accused. The ammonium nitrate was recovered from the cleric’s property. We are questioning Maulana Istaq, but it is too early to share further details,” Dahiya said.

Residents said the police team arrived at the mosque early Monday morning and detained Istaq.

“The police have taken away Imam Sahib. I don’t know why. He has been serving here for 20 years,” said his wife, adding that officers also seized his phone.

According to officers aware of the developments, the ammonium nitrate consignment was sent to the doctor about 15 days before his arrest and was intended for IED assembly as part of a larger terror plot.

Investigators are also probing the role of a woman doctor known to Dr Muzammil. She is currently being interrogated in Jammu and Kashmir after an AK Krinkov rifle, three magazines, a pistol with live rounds and two empty cartridges were recovered from a vehicle registered under her name.

Faridabad Police have so far declined to comment on the broader investigation, saying a coordinated multi-agency operation is underway.

“Revealing more at this stage could hamper the probe,” an officer said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather major national developments and Karnataka Bandh LIVE.