Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday detained Haryana-based preacher Maulvi Ishtiyaq from his rented residence inside Al Falah University in Faridabad, linking him directly to the sophisticated ‘white-collar’ terror module responsible for Monday’s deadly Red Fort blast that claimed 13 lives. The operation marks the ninth arrest in a widening interstate crackdown on a network allegedly tied to banned outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.

During a meticulously executed raid, authorities recovered a staggering 2,500 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, and sulphur—highly volatile materials commonly used in manufacturing improvised explosive devices—from Ishtiyaq’s university accommodation. The sheer volume suggests the site served as a major storage hub for the module’s operations, concealed under the guise of academic and religious activities.

Investigators revealed that the explosives were allegedly stockpiled by Dr. Muzammil Ganaie, alias Musaib, and Dr. Umar Nabi, the latter identified as the driver of the white Hyundai i20 that detonated near Red Fort Metro Station. The seizure connects the preacher to the same supply chain that fueled the Delhi attack, exposing how educated professionals and religious figures were weaponized in a calculated terror campaign.

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Ishtiyaq has been transported to Srinagar for intensive interrogation and is expected to face formal arrest as evidence mounts. Sources indicate he played a logistical role in receiving, storing, and distributing explosive precursors, leveraging his position within the university to evade detection while coordinating with other module members across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Kashmir.

With the National Investigation Agency now leading the probe, additional arrests are imminent as law enforcement agencies trace financial trails, communication logs, and travel records to dismantle the remaining cells. The case underscores the evolving threat of ‘white-collar’ terrorism, where doctors, preachers, and academics form a deadly nexus under the banner of extremist ideology.

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