Pathankot doctor with Al Falah varsity link held

Dr Rayees Ahmad Bhat (45), an assistant professor of surgery at a private hospital here, was arrested by the agency on Friday afternoon. The doctor has been taken to an undisclosed destination.

Denying rumours of the NIA role in the operation, a police officer said, “The operation is being managed by a special investigation agency and not the NIA.”

The entire operation was kept under the wraps and even the local police were kept out of the loop.

Residents and senior police officers got to know about the doctor’s arrest only after his wife reported to the police that her husband was missing and his mobile was not working.

Sources said Dr Bhat was in touch with Dr Umar whom the security agencies have identified as the one who was driving an explosive-laden car that detonated near the Red Fort in Delhi on November 10.

The Pathankot-based doctor’s arrest is the first from Punjab. The staff of the hospital were tight-lipped over the incident.

The police have carried out raids and made several arrests in the aftermath of the car explosion in Delhi that left 13 persons dead.