Gandhinagar— The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested three men, including a doctor from Telangana, for allegedly plotting a large-scale terrorist attack using firearms and the deadly toxin ricin. Officials said the accused were also connected to a handler based across the Pakistan border who reportedly sent them weapons through drones.
According to ATS DIG Sunil Joshi, the three accused — Dr. Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed from Hyderabad and two others, Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail Mohammad Saleem, both from Uttar Pradesh — were in Gujarat to exchange weapons and prepare for an attack. Saiyed, who holds an MBBS degree from China, was allegedly working on producing ricin, a highly potent poison derived from castor beans.
“Acting on a tip-off, ATS teams intercepted Dr. Saiyed near Adalaj in Gandhinagar on November 7. He was found with two Glock pistols, one Beretta pistol, 30 live cartridges, and four litres of castor oil — the main ingredient for preparing ricin,” said Joshi.
Interrogation revealed that Saiyed was in touch with a handler named Abu Khadija, an Afghan national linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), and had also maintained contact with several individuals in Pakistan. He was reportedly radicalised and had begun research to produce the toxin, besides planning to raise funds and recruit others for terrorist operations.
Based on data recovered from Saiyed’s phone, ATS teams later arrested Sheikh and Saleem in Banaskantha district. The duo had allegedly obtained weapons from Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, and supplied them to Saiyed. Investigations revealed that the suspects had conducted reconnaissance of several sensitive sites in Lucknow, Delhi, and Ahmedabad.
“The accused admitted that their handler sends arms consignments via drones from across the Pakistan border,” Joshi added.
The three men have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, and the Arms Act. Saiyed has been remanded to ATS custody until November 17, while the other two are expected to be produced in court soon. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing, including verification of their suspected links with ISKP and other extremist networks across multiple states.
