Ex-lecturer from Lucknow accused of leading Jaish women’s network in India

Once a respected lecturer at a Lucknow medical college, Dr Shaheen Shahid now stands accused of leading the Indian wing of Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) women’s outfit, a revelation that has jolted both the academic and security establishments.

Arrested from Faridabad recently, the former doctor has been described by investigators as the architect of a “white-collar” terror module—a network of educated professionals allegedly radicalised to expand JeM’s operations in India.

The making of a recruiter

According to investigators, Dr Shaheen was allegedly handpicked by Sadia Azhar, sister of JeM founder Masood Azhar, to head a women-led recruitment network under the banner of Jamaat-ul-Momineen, a new branch of the proscribed terror outfit. Officials believe she was in covert contact with handlers across the border through encrypted social-media channels, tasked with mobilising sympathisers and building a base of radicalised women on Indian soil.

Sadia’s husband, Yusuf Azhar—one of the masterminds behind the 1999 Kandahar hijacking—was killed earlier this year during Operation Sindoor in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur.

The Faridabad connection

Dr Shaheen’s arrest followed the detention of two other medical professionals, Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai and Dr Umar U Nabi, both linked to Faridabad’s Al-Falah University. The trio allegedly formed the core of an inter-state terror network unearthed after the Red Fort car blast, which claimed 10 lives and left more than 20 injured.

Police say the trail began in October when JeM posters surfaced in Srinagar’s Nowgam area, triggering a string of arrests that led to Muzammil’s capture on November 8. His interrogation, officials revealed, exposed Shaheen’s deeper role—her use of her medical credentials to aid the module’s operations, manage logistics, and maintain a façade of legitimacy.

Three days later, on November 11, Shaheen was arrested in Faridabad. Investigators allege her car, frequently used by Muzammil, was found with a rifle and live cartridges, adding weight to suspicions of her active involvement.

Raids and revelations in Lucknow

Following her arrest, the Uttar Pradesh ATS, in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir Police, raided her family home in Lucknow’s Lalbagh area. They seized mobile phones, hard drives, and documents, and detained her brother Dr Parvez Ansari for questioning.

Her father, Syed Ahmad Ansari, expressed disbelief over the allegations, saying, “I last spoke to Shaheen a month ago. She never mentioned anyone named Muzammil. We are shocked.”

A career gone astray

Records show Dr Shaheen joined Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College (GSVM), Kanpur, in 2006 through the UP Public Service Commission, later serving at Kannauj Medical College. She went on unauthorized leave in 2013, stopped responding to official notices, and was terminated in 2021.

“She was quiet and disciplined—no one imagined she could be part of something like this,” a former colleague said.

After divorcing her husband in 2015, she reportedly shifted to Faridabad, where she reconnected with former students and acquaintances—among them, the now-arrested Dr Muzammil.

The probe deepens

With the National Investigation Agency (NIA) now taking charge, officials are tracing her communication trail across Lucknow, Kanpur, and Faridabad to piece together how a once-promising medical professional became an alleged link in JeM’s expanding radical network.

As the case unfolds, the story of Dr Shaheen stands as a chilling reminder of how extremist networks exploit education, intellect, and access—turning classrooms into recruitment grounds and professionals into operatives.