Explained: 10 must-know facts about Faridabad’s Al-Falah University

A massive explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening left nine people dead and led investigators to an unexpected trail — a group of doctors linked to Faridabad’s Al-Falah University. The i20 car involved in the blast was driven by Dr Umar Un Nabi, whose name soon emerged in connection with a broader network operating across J&K, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

The probe into the Delhi blast quickly pointed investigators toward Al-Falah University, where three medical professors — Umar Un Nabi, Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, and Shaheen Sayeed — were teaching MBBS students. All three are suspected of using their academic roles as cover for facilitating a radical network tied to Pakistan-based terror outfits.

Founded in 1997 as an engineering college and granted university status by the UGC in 2014, Al-Falah University has grown into a 70-acre campus with programmes in medicine, pharmacy, and paramedical sciences. The institution runs an 800-plus bed super-specialty hospital that serves as its teaching and training centre for MBBS students.

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The case intensified when police unearthed nearly 2,900 kg of ammonium nitrate and other explosive materials from two rented rooms linked to Dr Muzammil. Alongside the cache, investigators found assault rifles, pistols, magazines, timers, remotes, and walkie-talkies — material consistent with a large-scale terror plot.

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Two Faridabad villages, Dhauj and Fatehpur Taga, located within a few kilometres of Al-Falah University, became the focal points of the raid. Neighbours told police that Dr Muzammil appeared polite and low-profile, never raising suspicion even as he quietly transported hundreds of kilograms of chemicals over several weeks.

Police discovered that part of the explosives were hidden in a modest house owned by Mohd Istaq, a cleric who led prayers at the university mosque. Istaq had rented one room to Dr Muzammil, where 358 kg of ammonium nitrate was later found. The location — a single-lane, half-built house — offered perfect concealment, deepening questions about who else may have known.

After two doctors — Muzammil Ganaie and Shaheen Sayeed — were arrested, Al-Falah University issued an official statement calling the incident “deeply distressing.” Vice-Chancellor Dr Bhupinder Kaur Anand said the varsity has “no association with the accused beyond professional employment” and fully supports the ongoing investigation.

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The university publicly condemned the blast and the terror activities under probe, saying, “We stand in solidarity with the nation and reaffirm our commitment to peace and security.” It stressed that no chemical or explosive material was ever stored on campus and that all labs function under strict safety and ethical standards.

The university is run by Al-Falah Charitable Trust, registered in Delhi’s Okhla, under the leadership of Chancellor Jawahar Ahmed Siddiqui. Recruitment and operations are reportedly coordinated from the Okhla head office. Employees allege that the university occasionally receives donations from Arab countries, a claim now being looked at by authorities.

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The Delhi blast investigation has now widened across Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, with multiple agencies working to trace funding routes, suppliers and possible foreign links. Intelligence officials suspect the module was in touch with handlers from Pakistan-backed outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed. As raids continue, authorities say the Faridabad discovery has prevented a potential large-scale attack in the National Capital Region.