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Who is Shaheen Shahid? Once a 'diligent' doctor, now a key arrest in major terror module busted in Faridabad
Shaheen Shahid, a 43-year-old doctor once employed in Kanpur was among those arrested after an inter-state terror module was busted in Faridabad.
The daughter of a retired health department employee who fulfilled her dream of becoming a doctor, and was known to be "diligent" in her work, is now at the centre of a major terror module busted in Faridabad, branches of which may have links to the Red Fort car blast of Monday, investigators suspect.
Shaheen Shahid, a 43-year-old doctor once employed in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur was among those arrested after an inter-state terror module was busted in Faridabad, and an AK Krinkov assault rifle, three magazines, a pistol with live rounds, and two empty cartridges were reportedly found registered in her name.
The terror module case has widened after police uncovered a link between the network and the car explosion that rocked New Delhi, killing at least 10 people.
Who is Shaheen Shahid?
Shaheen Shahid was born and raised in Hata Mustafa Khan in Khandari Bazar, Lucknow, and is the daughter of Shahid Ansari, retired state health department officer. She always dreamt of becoming a doctor and after completing her MBBS from Prayagraj, joined GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, as a lecturer in 2006.
According to her colleagues, cited in an earlier HT report, Shaheen had worked diligently for about three years before being transferred to Kannauj following differences with a senior officer in Kanpur.
Despite being transferred to Kannauj in 2009, Shaheen returned to Kanpur again in six months, but soon started missing work. Officials familiar with the matter told HT that she had completely abandoned duty by 2013, and was eventually dismissed from in 2021 for prolonged absence after she failed to respond to letters.
Divorce in 2015, relationship with another accused
Things didn't seem so good for Shaheen on the personal front too. She got married to a Maharashtra resident named Zafar Hayat who also worked at GSVM Kanpur, but the two got divorced in 2015.
Shaheen had ever since been leading a reclusive life and didn't return to her Lucknow home for six years after that. She had been living in Faridabad with Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaia, another key accused tied to the terror module. Notably, Muzammil was also a close aide of the Umar un-Nabi, the man who was driving the Hyundai i20 car that exploded near Red Fort.
Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) said that Shaheen and Muzammil had been in a relationship and the Lucknow doctor's brother Parvez was also arrested in connection with the terror module bust.
Ties to JeM's women recruitment wing in India
The terror module busted in Faridabad as part of the raids had links to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind terror outfits.
Shaheen was reportedly part of JeM's women recruitment wing in India. According to news agency PTI, Shaheen was in touch with her handler in Pakistan with possible instructions to recruit more and more women for terror activities.
She was also reportedly associated with Al Falah University in Faridabad, which distanced itself from allegations linking it to the terror module bust.
(With inputs from HT correspondent, PTI)
