From doctor to detainee: How Kanpur’s Shaheen Shahid became a key suspect in Faridabad terror module

Shaheen Shahid, a 43-year-old doctor from Uttar Pradesh, has emerged as one of the central figures in a major terror module recently busted in Faridabad. Once known for her commitment to medicine and her academic role at GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, Shaheen’s arrest has left her former colleagues and neighbors stunned.

Born and raised in Hata Mustafa Khan, Lucknow, Shaheen was the daughter of Shahid Ansari, a retired state health department officer. Her journey began with ambition — she pursued MBBS from Prayagraj before joining GSVM Medical College in 2006 as a lecturer. Described by her peers as “diligent and disciplined,” Shaheen’s career, however, soon began to unravel.

According to officials familiar with her case, Shaheen served in Kanpur for three years before being transferred to Kannauj following disagreements with a senior officer. Although she returned to Kanpur after six months, her attendance became erratic. By 2013, she had completely abandoned duty, ignoring repeated official letters. She was officially dismissed in 2021 for prolonged absenteeism.

Her personal life, too, was marked by turmoil. Shaheen was married to Dr. Zafar Hayat, an ophthalmologist from Maharashtra who also worked at GSVM. The couple divorced in 2015. Following her separation, she reportedly led an isolated life, distancing herself from her family in Lucknow for nearly six years.

Investigators say Shaheen had been residing in Faridabad with Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaia, another key suspect in the terror module. Ganaia is believed to have close ties with Umar un-Nabi, the driver of the Hyundai i20 that exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort, killing at least 10 people earlier this week. The link between the Faridabad network and the Red Fort car explosion has widened the scope of the ongoing probe.

The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has revealed that Shaheen and Muzammil were in a relationship and that Shaheen’s brother, Parvez, was also arrested as part of the operation. The ATS further suspects that Shaheen was actively connected to the women’s recruitment wing of the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and had ties to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.

Sources told PTI that Shaheen was in contact with her handler in Pakistan, allegedly receiving instructions to recruit more women for radical activities in India. She was also linked with Al Falah University in Faridabad, which has since denied any association with her or the busted network.

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The seizure of an AK Krinkov rifle, three magazines, a pistol with live rounds, and two empty cartridges registered in her name has further deepened suspicion. For investigators, Shaheen’s case is emblematic of how individuals with educated and respectable backgrounds can fall prey to extremist networks.

As the investigation expands, authorities are piecing together how a once-promising doctor from Kanpur transitioned from treating patients to being accused of aiding a terror plot that shook the capital.