Days after reports claimed that Pakistan intended to kill Indian soldiers deployed in Kashmir by poisoning their ration, the Anti-terror squad in Maharashtra has arrested a doctor from Khultabad area of Aurangabad in Maharashtra for his alleged links with terrorists.

ATS officials have been questioning him for the last three days. According to a report by Times Now, the ATS officials revealed that the doctor is suspected to be involved in the conspiracy to poison food and water meant for the security forces. The revelation was made after a note issued by the criminal investigation department of Jammu & Kashmir on March 2 stated, “chatter floating by a Pakistani number claims that Pakistan MI (military intelligence) and ISI agents operation in Kashmir are planning to mix poison in ration stocks of security forces deployed in the region”.

The Intel came at a time when tension between the two countries remains very high in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent airstrikes conducted by the Indian Air Force to eliminate terrorist camps across the border.

Apart from this, the doctor, whose identity is yet to be disclosed by the ATS officials, is suspected to be involved in providing financial help to the terrorists. Further, he is also suspected to be in contact with nine suspected terrorists, arrested in January by the ATS from Mumbra and Aurangabad, for allegedly planning terrorist activities in the State and elsewhere.

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In a series of raids, prior to the Republic day in January this year, Maharashtra ATS had busted an alleged ISIS-inspired terror module and arrested five persons from Mumbra and Thane, and four persons from Aurangabad. All the suspects were said to be working for the Popular Front of India, Bengaluru. The arrested persons had reportedly formed an organisation called ‘Ummat-E-Muhammadiya’.

As per the reports, the doctor arrested recently is suspected of having contacts with the nine arrested terrorists from Mumbra, Thane and Aurangabad. The ATS is also suspecting the doctor of having contact with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to police, the arrested persons had said that they were planning mass killings. They had prepared a few chemical mixtures and were planning to mix the same with water and food at big public gatherings.

One of the arrested persons was said to be the son of Rashid Malbari, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim.