Al-Falah University turns fortress; terror link has staff in fear, disbelief

Once an easy-to-miss campus set amid vast agricultural fields, Faridabad’s Al-Falah University -- spread over 70 acres -- has turned into a guarded fortress today. Caught in the centre of a “white-collar” terror network, with three of its employees among the key accused in the Red Fort blast, the university is gripped by an unusual, eerie silence, broken only by the sirens of police vans entering the premises every few hours.

Security has been tightened, sections have been cordoned off, and the medical college is now out of bounds for outsiders. A handful of patients queue up at the hospital gate, allowed entry only after thorough checking. Staff members have been instructed to remain silent and even a mention of Dr Umar Nabi or his associates Dr Muzammil Ganai and Dr Shaheen Shahid is enough to get one thrown out.

Talking to The Tribune, a doctor, on the condition of anonymity, said, “The police have questioned around 50 people here so far, but most have nothing to offer. We are all in shock and frankly too scared. We’ve been unofficially told to stay away from the media or talk about the issue. It feels like we Kashmiri doctors and students have been labelled.

“We hardly step out of our rooms or speak beyond duty hours. WhatsApp calls are our only mode of communication now and we avoid mentioning the trio in any chat or social media post. Our parents back home are scared and many younger students have taken leave and gone home. I had seen Ganai and Shaheen around, but as far as I know, they weren’t part of any large friend group.”

Most MBBS students claimed they had little interaction with Dr Ganai, a junior resident working in the emergency wing. To many, Ganai was a quiet, soft-spoken doctor known more for his diligence during clinical rotations than for any signs of radicalisation.

The local canteen, now seeing fewer visitors, has become a hub of hushed conversations. A second-year MBBS student said Umar rarely attended classes, while Shaheen was regular. Hardly anyone had seen the trio together. Most employees and students were unaware of any i20 car on campus, saying it’s too large a place to notice, though several told the police about Shaheen’s Maruti Suzuki Swift car frequently seen in the area.

A local employee from the nearby Dhauj village said the blast had triggered resentment among villagers. “It’s not just the medical college but the entire village. The local panchayat has asked all Kashmiri doctors and hospital employees to vacate their residences by December, saying the incident has brought unwanted attention to the village,” he said.