Gujarat ATS Arrests Doctor for Preparing Ricin, Surveying Crowded Markets.
A doctor among three ISIS operatives arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was allegedly preparing ricin, a deadly toxin, and had surveyed crowded food markets in multiple cities, officials said Monday. The accused, Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed, 35, from Hyderabad, reportedly conducted reconnaissance over six months at Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi, Ahmedabad’s Naroda fruit market, and the RSS office in Lucknow—locations chosen for their dense crowds.
Saiyed, an MBBS graduate from China, was exploring ways to weaponise ricin, a protein derived from castor seeds. While lethal in large doses, criminal use of ricin is rare, and timely medical intervention can be effective. The ATS said Saiyed had “procured equipment and raw materials and begun initial chemical processing” to prepare the toxin. Authorities are now examining seized materials and digital evidence to trace sources and determine the progress of his experiments.
Two other suspects from Uttar Pradesh, Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail Mohammad Saleem, were also arrested. Preliminary investigations suggest the trio is part of a larger ISIS-linked network with sleeper cells across India.
Saiyed was reportedly in contact with Abu Khadim of Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISKP) and had plans to raise funds and recruit accomplices for terrorist activities. “Dr. Saiyed is highly educated but radicalised and posed a serious threat,” said Gujarat ATS DIG Sunil Joshi.
Comments are closed.