Doctor, wife detained for radicalisation plot: CIK

Srinagar, Nov 18: The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) on Tuesday detained a doctor and his wife during the raids conducted at four places in Kashmir and seized digital devices from them.

They have been accused of misusing professional positions for unlawful activities.

The CIK conducted coordinated searches at four locations across Srinagar, Kulgam, and Anantnag districts, acting on search warrants issued by the designated court under the NIA Act, Srinagar, in connection with FIR No 05/2025 under Sections 196, 152, and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Police Station CIK.

These searches are part of an ongoing crackdown against social media users operating in connivance with handlers across the border, who have been deliberately engaged in furthering terrorist, secessionist, and separatist agendas.

By leveraging their professional status and societal standing, the involved individuals were allegedly using social media platforms to spread disinformation, radicalise youth, incite violence, and disturb public order, posing a serious threat to the peace and sovereignty of the Union of India.

“During the operation, two accused Shahzada Akhtar, wife of Dr Umer Farooq Bhat of Bugam, Kulgam, presently residing at Sheeren Bagh, Srinagar, with her husband, who is presently working in Super Speciality Hospital, Shireen Bagh, Srinagar, were detained,” CIK officials said. “CIK teams seized multiple digital devices and incriminating material having direct relevance to the investigation. The recoveries include five mobile phones, five SIM cards, a tablet device, and additional digital and documentary evidence and literature.”

They said that Dr Umer Farooq, who is a government employee, was found indulging in online unlawful activities, misusing his official position and social legitimacy to engage in behaviour detrimental to public order and national security.

The CIK officials said that during the investigation, it had emerged that the detained individuals were misusing their positions and social standing to mask unlawful activities.

“The female suspect, Shahzada Akhtar, in particular, is alleged to have been involved in radicalising local women through curated online and offline engagements, pushing divisive narratives, and influencing vulnerable groups under the pretext of community interaction,” CIK officials said. “Her affiliation with the banned terrorist organisation ‘Dukhtaran-e-Milat’ is currently under investigation. This dimension of the case highlights a concerning trend of the exploitation of social roles and professional facades to advance disruptive agendas.”

They said that all recovered devices were undergoing detailed forensic analysis, which is expected to unravel a broader digital network linked to organised propaganda efforts.

The CIK officials said that early leads indicate the possibility of a wider ecosystem of collaborators and sympathisers, whose activities were aimed at amplifying extremist content and manipulating public perception.

They said that this operation sends an unambiguous message.

“No individual, irrespective of position or profession, will be allowed to weaponise social or digital influence to aid terrorism or disturb public order. CIK remains resolute in its mission to dismantle the terror ecosystem, including its operators, facilitators, sympathisers, promoters, and propagators. The crackdown continues, and more actions are expected as the investigation unfolds,” the CIK officials said.