Lucknow Doctor Dr Shaheena Shahid Arrested for Leading Jaish Women Wing in India

New Delhi, Nov 11, 2025 – Authorities have arrested Lucknow-based doctor Dr Shaheena Shahid for her alleged role in establishing the women's wing of Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in India. The arrest follows the recent bust of a terror module in Faridabad, near Delhi, which led to the seizure of explosives and firearms.

Dr Shaheena Shahid has been tasked with implementing the JeM’s first-ever women’s brigade, Jamaat ul-Mominaat, which is headed by Sadiya Azhar, the sister of JeM founder Masood Azhar, in Pakistan. The move signals an alarming expansion of JeM’s recruitment and indoctrination strategy, with Shahid reportedly enlisting women connected to JeM commanders as well as vulnerable communities across northern India.

Authorities say Dr Shahid’s involvement came to light following the arrest of her associate, Kashmiri doctor Muzammil Ganaie, alias Musaib, from Faridabad. Investigators recovered nearly 2,900 kg of explosives, timers, and other weaponry from Ganaie’s rented accommodation. Shahid’s Maruti Suzuki Swift, registered in Faridabad, contained an assault rifle, pistol, and ammunition, linking her directly to the terror module.

Dr Shahid, a resident of Lucknow’s Lal Bagh, has also been associated with Al-Falah University. Her close ties to JeM’s operational network in India have prompted authorities to investigate the scope of recruitment and radicalization within the women’s wing. The Jamaat ul-Mominaat initiative began its recruitment drive in October at JeM centers in Pakistan, targeting wives of commanders and economically vulnerable women in cities like Bahawalpur, Karachi, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Haripur, and Mansehra.

Officials say the arrests highlight a new operational strategy by JeM, including the use of professionals, like doctors, in executing terror activities. The arrests and seizures follow a broader crackdown on JeM cells in India and underscore the ongoing threat posed by transnational terrorist networks.

Investigators continue to map the network’s links in India and Pakistan, and Dr Shaheena Shahid remains in custody as authorities gather further evidence on the extent of her role in the terror module.